Agenda and minutes

Councillor Russell Mellor was appointed Chairman for the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Licensing Sub Committee made the following decision having regard to:

-  the four licensing objectives,

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

-  Guidance issued under the Licensing Act 2003

-  Written and oral representations from the Applicant

-  Written and oral representations from Metropolitan Police

The Licensing Sub Committee decided to grant the application, amended as follows:

The only changes to the licence now being applied for were:

1. Live music on Sundays from 12:00 to 22:00,

2. Recorded music on Fridays and Saturdays from 12:00 to 02:00,

3. Late night refreshments on Fridays and Saturdays from 23:00 to 02:00,

4. Supply of alcohol on Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 to 01:30, and

5. Hours open to the public Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 to 02:00

Subject to the additional condition that:

There should be a minimum of three SIA registered stewards on the premises from 20:30 until thirty minutes after the premises have closed to the public.

Reasons for decision:

The premises were situated in an area to which a special policy of cumulative impact applied. Government guidance stated that this created a rebuttable presumption that applications for the grant or variation of premises licenses which are likely to add to the existing cumulative impact would normally be refused or subject to certain limitations unless the applicant can demonstrate in the operating schedule that there will be no negative cumulative impact on one or more of the licensing objectives.

The Police objected to the application on the basis of the impact in accordance with the special policy. An objection from the local planning authority, stating that the hours sought were in excess of the hours permitted in the premises’ planning consent, was superseded by the applicant’s decision to reduce the hours sought in order to comply with the planning consent. There were no other objections to the application.

As noted, the extra hours sought were reduced to those summarised above, namely an extra 1 ½ hours on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Police referred to the sharp increase in crime statistics over recent months and were of the opinion that this could be largely attributed to the extended hours which certain other premises had been allowed to open during that period. They were of the view that the premises were more of a wine bar than a restaurant as the night progressed and that this would lead to more problems than if it was a more traditional type of restaurant throughout its opening hours.

The Police advised that even the best run establishments would still have an effect on the cumulative impact in the surrounding area due to the pressure of numbers of people in the streets of this crime hot spot where alcohol was frequently involved in incidents of crime, both on the part of perpetrators and victims.

The applicant acknowledged the concerns of the Police and reasons for the special policy. They sought to demonstrate to the sub-committee that their proposals would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

 The Licensing Sub Committee made the following decision having regard to:

-  the four licensing objectives,

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

-  Guidance issued under the Licensing Act 2003

-  Written and oral representations from the Applicant

-  Written and oral representations from Metropolitan Police

The Licensing  Sub Committee decided to grant the application:

Subject to the following conditions, agreed between the applicant and the Police, to address the Crime and Disorder objective:

1.The premises should have no fewer than two SIA Registered Door Supervisors, Thursday, Friday and Saturday or whenever alcohol was sold beyond 24:00 hours. The Door Supervisors must have started their shift by 20:00 and finish no earlier than the closing time of the premises. All must sign a register when performing duties at the premises. This register is to contain the full names, SIA badge numbers and contact details of that person.

2. The records referred to in condition 1 are to be made available on request to any Relevant Authority for the purposes of investigating or preventing crime or apprehending or prosecuting an offender.

3. The premises will have an approved, effective and well managed CCTV system, installed/maintained by an NSI – Nacoss Gold Standard / SSAIB registered installer. The system installed should be subject to a regular maintenance contract to ensure that it is always fully operational, as stipulated /recommended by the installer.

4. The CCTV system must be in working condition, in use and recording at all times that licensable activities were taking place (and whilst people remained on the premises). It must be able to record in all lighting conditions and the images recorded must be of a good evidential standard. These images must be kept on a secure database and be capable of being downloaded onto removable media. A member of staff must be present at all times who can both operate the system and supply copies of these images on request to either a Police, Council or other authorised officer. The recordings should be kept for a minimum of 31 days.

5. All staff would receive documented training in relation to the Licensing Act 2003, and the “challenge” policy--and the training should be repeated every 6 months. Records of this training and the written policies relating to it would be kept and made available to Police or Council Officers on request.

6. A dispersal policy was to be drawn up in consultation with Police and Council officers. Once agreed it was to be implemented in full. Considerations to include, but not limited to:(the monitoring of customers by door staff, hi visibility jackets, the pre-booking of minicabs / taxis, orderly dispersal of patrons). This policy should be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure it was still effective and should be updated as necessary.

7. A drug policy document was to be drawn up in consultation with Police and Council officers. Once agreed, it is to be implemented in full. Considerations to include, but not limited  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.