Boka Restaurant Faces Police Backlash Over Late-Night Booze and Beats
Police Slam Boka’s Vague Garden Drinking Plans
Boka, the swanky joint inside the Palms Hotel grounds, is in hot water over its plans to serve alcohol and crank up the music late into the night. The Met Police have slammed the restaurant’s licence application for lacking clear rules about booze being served in its garden.
The eatery applied last November to serve alcohol, play music, show films, and offer late-night snacks. Now, Havering Council’s licensing committee will grill the application on Friday, January 23 after police objections over confusing conditions—especially around the garden booze area.
PC Chris Stockman didn’t hold back, calling the licence bid a “lack of clarity” disaster, criticising the missing firm conditions for alcohol service outdoors. At the same time, music and snacks would be restricted to indoors—a setup police say is unusual and muddles things further.
Late-Night Licence Hours Slammed as ‘Nightclub, Not Restaurant’
Police also blasted the proposed 2.20am closing time on Fridays and Saturdays. PC Stockman warned that these nightclub-style hours could fuel more alcohol-related crime and trouble in the area.
The backlash follows a terrifying stabbing in the Palms Hotel lobby last June. A man was left with stab wounds and a head injury from a glass bottle attack. No arrests have been made, but the violent incident rattled police and licensing officials alike.
Boka Boss Denies Stabbing Links to Licence Bid
Boka’s managing director David Morbin pushed back, insisting the stabbing happened before the restaurant even opened its doors in September 2025. “It’s nothing to do with us or our licence plans,” he said.
“It happened at a Palms Hotel event. We were hired to serve food, but that’s all. The event was booked before we came on board, and we had no involvement or control over it.”
“We want our own licence with distinct conditions, separate from the hotel’s operation. We’re happy to cooperate with police and council to clear up any misunderstandings.”
Palms Hotel Vows Tighter Security After Stabbing
Hotel director Suresh Konduru described the stabbing as an “unfortunate and isolated incident” that took place after a private wedding outside the hotel entrance. Staff moved quickly to call police, aid victims, and calm the scene.
The hotel has since welcomed police and council support and rolled out new safety measures including:
- Beefed-up CCTV coverage
- Extra staff training
- Stricter vetting on event bookings
With tensions rising, all eyes will be on Havering Council’s licensing sub-committee this Friday as Boka fights to pour late-night drinks and keep the party going.
