Issue - meetings

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing an application received on behalf of Liquid Art Group Limited for a new premises licence to permit the supply of alcohol on the premises and the playing of recorded music (indoors) to be granted at The Drawing Room, 3-5 Bramhall Lane South, Bramhall.

The applicant attended the meeting and answered Councillors’ questions in relation to the application.

An objector to the proposal, having previously submitted a written representation in relation to the application, explained their objection and answered Councillors’ questions in relation to the application.

There was a further relevant written representation made on behalf of Stockport Planning Authority.

The Sub-Committee, having heard the interested parties, proceeded to consider the licensing objectives in respect of the application, together with the relevant parts of the Council’s Licensing Policy and the guidance from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.  However, the decision was reached on consideration of all the arguments given in relation to this specific application.

The Sub-Committee found the following:-

(i)        Crime and Disorder

The Sub-Committee was satisfied that no relevant representations had been raised in respect of this licensing objective.

(ii)        Protection of Children

The Sub-Committee was satisfied that no relevant representations had been raised in respect of this licensing objective.

(iii)      Public Safety

The Sub-Committee was satisfied that no relevant representations had been raised in respect of this licensing objective.

(iv)      Public Nuisance

The Sub-Committee was satisfied that relevant representations had been raised in respect of this licensing objective, specifically the representations asserted that the proposed hours for licensable activity extending late into the night on Friday and Saturdays would result in an unacceptable nuisance by virtue of noise disturbance: both from the playing of recorded music and from patrons leaving the premises in the early hours of the morning.

The Sub-Committee noted with approval the content of the applicant’s operating scheduled in respect of the prevention of public nuisance licensing objective, specifically that customers shall be dispersed gradually to in effort to minimise noise; that customers shall be asked to move on once they have left the premises; and that police shall be notified of any customers causing a nuisance.

The Sub-Committee had great sympathy with the concerns expressed as part of the objections, however, the Sub-Committee noted the setting of the premises within a District Centre and adjacent to premises with similar such uses and, in some circumstances, with approved hours for licensable activity not dissimilar to that which had been applied for as part of this application.

Having considered all of the available evidence, the Sub-Committee was of the view that there were no further conditions that were both necessary and appropriate in order to address the prevention of public nuisance licensing objective.

It was then

RESOLVED – (1) That the hours for the supply of alcohol on the premises be approved as follows:-

·         10:00 hours to midnight, Sunday to Thursday; and

·         10.00 hours to 02.00 hours, the following day, Friday and Saturday.

(2) That the hours for the playing of recorded music (indoors) be approved as follows:-

·         10:00 hours to midnight, Sunday to Thursday; and

·         10.00 hours to 02.30 hours, the following day, Friday and Saturday.

(3) That approval be given to the imposition of those conditions proposed by the applicant, as part of the application, to appear on the premises licence in addition to the mandatory conditions.

(4) That it be noted that notwithstanding the approval of this application, there remained controls on the hours of operation of the premises through the planning regime that would still serve to prevent the premises from operating beyond 00:30 hours on Fridays and Saturdays.