Sipsmith Licence Bid Causes Concern on Cranbrook Road
Distillery wants to expand its on-site hospitality operations
An extended licence would enable more tours to take place. Picture: Sipsmith
January 21, 2026
Sipsmith Limited, the Chiswick-based pioneer of the London gin renaissance, has submitted a new premises license application for its flagship distillery at 83 Cranbrook Road, sparking a heated debate among local residents over the future of the residential street.
The application seeks to significantly expand the distillery's hospitality operations at its location just off the High Road. If granted, Sipsmith would be authorised to sell alcohol for consumption both on and off the premises from 12:00pm to 9:00 on every day of the week. This represents a substantial increase from its current 2016 licence, which restricts alcohol sales to between 5:00pm and 7:00pm on weekdays only. The proposal also includes increasing the number of pre-booked distillery tours to three per day during the week and two on Saturdays, with a maximum capacity of 35 guests per tour.
The proposal has met with significant resistance from a large portion of the neighbourhood. Dozens of formal objections have been filed, citing concerns over public nuisance, public safety, and the "material intensification" of alcohol-led activity in a street home to approximately 60 residential properties. Over 50 comments have been submitted opposed to the application,
Objectors argue that the narrow, one-way street cannot accommodate the increased footfall, taxi movements, and potential noise from evening and weekend tours. "What they propose now is to turn their premises from an industrial unit into a gin theme park," wrote one resident. There are also fears that the licence could allow for amplified music and larger crowds of up to 500 people under national deregulation laws, effectively turning the site into a "de facto events venue".
The application has found support from one neighbour who praised Sipsmith as a "decent" and "good neighbour" that has respected the area since its arrival. It was noted that the distillery has caused no major disturbances since its original license was granted and argued that the business should be encouraged to remain sustainable.
The Metropolitan Police has not objected to the application but has mandated strict conditions that Sipsmith has agreed to adopt. These include the operation of a comprehensive CCTV system with 31-day recording retention, the maintenance of a detailed incident log, and protocols for preserving crime scenes in the event of an assault.
Sipsmith, founded in 2009 and now owned by the global spirits giant Beam Suntory, moved its operations to the Chiswick location several years ago. The distillery's relationship with its neighbours has been delicate since 2016, when its first licence application was granted only after a full Panel hearing imposed strict operational controls to protect the residential environment.
When the application was first submitted, Sipsmith did not respond to requests for comment. The final decision now rests with the Hounslow Licensing Panel, which meets to consider the application on Monday 9 February.
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