Agenda item

To consider a report of the Service Director (Place Management).

The report details an application from Status Investments Ltd for the variation of the premises licence to extend the end time for the provision of recorded music (indoors) and live music (indoors) on a Friday and Saturday, to alter the end times for the supply of alcohol on the premises each day and to extend the hours of opening on a Friday and Saturday. 

The Sub-Committee is recommended to consider the application for a variation of the premises licence at Palace Bar.

Officer contact: Sarah Tooth on 474 4176 or email:sarah.tooth@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Service Director (Place Management) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Sub-Committee to consider an application from Status Investments Ltd for the variation of the premises licence at the Palace Bar, Mill Street, Woodley to extend the end time for the provision of recorded music (indoors) and live music (indoors) on a Friday and Saturday, to alter the end times for the supply of alcohol on the premises each day and to extend the hours of opening on a Friday and Saturday. 

A representative of the Service Director (Place Management) advised the Sub-Committee that there was an error in the report such that the applicant appeared as part of the wider application to have proposed a reduction in the hours for the supply of alcohol on the premises by one hour to 23.00 hours, Sunday to Thursday.  It was confirmed that this was a typographical error and that this had not been reproduced in the public notices displayed on site or on the Council’s website.

The representative of the Service Director (Place Management) further advised the Sub-Committee that the sole objector to the application had confirmed that he would be unable to attend the meeting and wished for his objection to be considered on the basis of the written submission.

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

The Sub-Committee having heard all 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 of Media, Culture and Sport.  However, the decision was reached on consideration of all the arguments given in relation to this specific application.

(i)         Crime and Disorder

The Sub-Committee was satisfied that a relevant representation had been raised in respect of this licensing objective, namely that the objector had asserted that the premises were associated with violence and the use of illegal drugs.  However, the Sub-Committee noted that it had not seen any evidence to substantiate those allegations and nor had there been any representations made from any of the responsible authorities in relation to this matter.  Moreover, the Panel noted with approval the content of the applicant’s operating schedule in relation to this licensing objective and determined that no further conditions were necessary in order to address this objective.

(ii)        Protection of Children

The Sub-Committee was satisfied that a relevant representation had been raised in respect of this licensing objective, namely that the objector had asserted that the premises sold alcohol to underage patrons.  However, the Sub-Committee noted that it had not seen any evidence to substantiate this allegation and nor had there been any representations made from any of the responsible authorities in relation to this matter.  Moreover, the Panel noted with approval the content of the applicant’s operating schedule in relation to this licensing objective and determined that no further conditions were necessary in order to address this 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 no relevant representations had been raised in respect of this licensing objective.

It was then

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

10:00 to 00:00 hours, Sunday to Thursday

10:00 to 01:00 hours, Friday and Saturday

(2) That the hours for provision of live music, indoors and recorded music, indoors be approved as follows:-

19:00 to 23:00 hours, Sunday to Thursday

19:00 to 01:00 hours, Friday and Saturday

(3) That the stated, standard opening hours be noted as follows:-

10:00 to 00:30 hours, Sunday to Thursday

10:00 to 01:30 hours, Friday and Saturday

(4) That a digital hard drive CCTV system shall be in operation to cover internal and external areas of the premises.  Any area where customers have legitimate access must be sufficiently illuminated for the purposes of CCTV. All CCTV recorded images shall have sufficient clarity/ quality/ definition. CCTV shall be kept in an unedited format for a minimum period of 30 days; any DVD's/ USB/ media devices subsequently produced shall be in a format so it can be played back on a standard personal computer or standard DVD player.  Any person left in charge of the premises must be trained in the use of any such CCTV equipment and able to produce / download / burn CCTV images upon request by a person from a responsible authority. CCTV shall be maintained on a regular basis and kept in good working order.

(5) That the premises and management will maintain an incident book that will be kept on the premises at all times, copies of which will be made available to the police on request. The incident book will be retained at the premises for a period of 12 months from the date of the last entry. Entries in this book will record contemporaneously the full names of all SIA door supervisors together with the details of their SIA badge numbers, start/finish times and break periods will be included in the record. It will not be satisfactory for these records to be updated at a later time/date. The police are to be informed of any serious incident or incident that could reasonably be expected to form the basis of a prosecution, either inside or immediately outside the premises. Depending on the urgency of the incident, staff should consider contacting the emergency number for the police (999) or reporting the incident to the local Neighbourhood Policing Team.

(6) That a minimum of one SIA door supervisor shall be employed when the premises are open to the public on a Friday and Saturday starting at 21:00 hours until closing time. The number of SIA door staff is to be increased at maximum operating levels or high risk events as part of the management’s ongoing risk assessment.

(7) That no glass receptacles/glass bottles to be permitted in the beer garden or the area designated as a smoking area. Patrons using these areas must use plastic receptacles.

(8) That a permanent fixed sound limiting device must be fitted in accordance with the approval of the Environmental Health Department. The device shall be designed so that all power sockets used for amplified music and speech can be controlled by the device.

(9) That in so far as it is not exempted by the Live Music Act 2012; noise levels from all music and amplified speech at the premises must be controlled by the noise limiting device.

(10) That the equipment must be tested at least weekly before any events take place to ensure that it is working correctly. Any defects to the system must be reported immediately to the Environmental Health Department. If a defect becomes apparent outside normal office hours, then the Council’s emergency control room should be notified on 0161 474 5555.

(11) That the external areas of the premises must be monitored for noise likely to cause a public nuisance when events are taking place, unless it is exempt under the Live Music Act 2012. This must be recorded in a log book which must be kept on site and available for inspection by the Environmental Health Officer.

(12) That should existing acoustic measures be insufficient to control noise emanating from the building, then an acoustic consultant shall be employed by the Palace Bar to assess any further acoustic mitigation measures that can be achieved. Such measures should be implemented in consultation with and to the approval of Environmental Health.

(13) That otherwise than exempted in the Live Music Act 2012, all doors and windows shall remain closed after 20:00 hours except for access and egress when regulated entertainment takes place.

(14) That a Challenge 25 scheme shall be operated at the premises. The only form of valid identification being passport, photo driving licence or identification that displays a holographic mark issued by a government authorised body / agency. Notices shall be displayed in prominent positions at the premises indicating that the challenge 25 Policy is in force. All staff shall be trained and shall undergo regular refresher training from a personal licence holder in respect of the challenge 25 policy and forms of acceptable ID, age identification, awareness/ prevention of proxy sales. Such training sessions shall be recorded in a training book which shall include a record of each member of staff together with the date the training took place, the details of the training provided and the name of the personal licence holder providing the training.  The training book shall be kept on the premises and made available upon request to responsible authorities upon request. Training shall be refreshed every 3 to 4 months.

(15) That no person under the age of 18 years old will be permitted on the premises. The only exception is when a person under the age of 18 years old is attending a pre-arranged function, sporting event or celebratory event and is in company with a responsible adult that is a family member.