1. The committee made the following decision having regard to:

-  the Crime and Disorder licensing objective,

-  the Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy 2011 – 2016,

-  Guidance issued under the Licensing Act 2003,

-  Written and oral representations by the licence holder for the event,

-  Written and oral representations by the Metropolitan Police.

The committee decided to refuse the application in objection to the Temporary Event Notice, and confirm that the Temporary Event may proceed as applied for, including regulated entertainment specified in section 5 of the application form--subject to all of the current licence conditions and the voluntary measures offered by the licence holder in his application to hold the event.

Reasons:

This was an application for a single Temporary Event Notice at the premises for an additional 2 hours opening beyond the current 2am limit for the cessation of licensable activities. The Metropolitan Police objected on the ground that the operating of the premises in accordance with the Temporary Event Notice would undermine the Crime and Disorder objective.

The Police highlighted the likely impact on the incidence of violent crime and disorder of a venue emptying after customers had been drinking alcohol for an additional 2 hours. Reference was also made by the police to crime statistics in the area known as the Beckenham Triangle, in which the premises are situated.

Police agreed that the premises were well run, but that, notwithstanding this, the fact remained that an extra 2 hours of drinking time was likely to fuel trouble, particularly in an area where public transport options were limited and police resources were very stretched.

The licence holder’s representative confirmed that this was a single application, which followed other TENS in April and May, to which police objections were withdrawn. The April Temporary Event in particular was identical to the current proposal, and, after the withdrawal of police objections, had gone ahead without incident. The sub-committee’s attention was drawn to the steps proposed (including the adoption of all current licence conditions) in order to mitigate the impact on the Crime and Disorder objective. It was confirmed that there would be no entry after 1am, in order to avoid migration problems. In addition, a letter of support from a local taxi company was produced, detailing arrangements to be in place at the time of the event to aid dispersal of customers, and confirmation that customers leaving in the early hours would be channelled out of the premises via the door which does not open onto the main trouble point of the High Street.

In the circumstances, the sub-committee decided that it was fair and proportionate to allow the Temporary Event to proceed as the licence holder had demonstrated that they had taken sufficient steps to mitigate any adverse effect on the Crime and Disorder objective.