Agenda item

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report details an application from Greater Manchester Police for a summary review of the premises licence at The George, 15 Wellington Road, Stockport.

The Sub-Committee is recommended to consider the application for a summary review of the premises licence at The George, 15 Wellington Road, Stockport.

Officer contact: Caitriona Muldoon on 0161 474 4162 or email: caitriona.muldoon@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration reported upon the receipt of an application submitted on behalf of the Chief Officer of Greater Manchester Police (copies of which had been circulated) for a summary review of the Premises Licence at the George, 15 Wellington Road North, Stockport, in accordance with Section 53(A) of the Licensing Act 2003.

The Licensing Authority had been requested by Greater Manchester Police to undertake a summary review of the premises licence at The George, Stockport in light of allegations that the premises had been associated with serious disorder.

A representative of Greater Manchester Police attended the meeting and answered Councillors’ questions in relation to the summary review and in particular activity at the premises since the interim steps were agreed by the Sub-Committee on 28 June 2016. The premises licence holder and Manager also attended the meeting and answered Councillors’ questions in relation to the summary review.

The Sub-Committee having heard the application for a summary review of the premises licence at The George, 15 Wellington Road North, Stockport made by the Chief Officer of Greater Manchester Police and having considered all the evidence presented, was satisfied that the premises had been associated with serious disorder, and specifically noted the incidents of 26 March, 9 April, 10 April, 24 April, 30 April, 14 May, 4 June and 11 June 2016.

The Sub-Committee noted the similar circumstances surrounding the incidents were such that they occurred in the early hours of the morning.

The Sub-Committee was further satisfied that the premises had demonstrated its inability to satisfactorily promote the  prevention of crime and disorder and promotion of public safety licensing objectives by virtue of the significant number of evidenced cases of serious incidents of crime and disorder that have been prejudicial to public safety. The level of disorder at The George was significantly more likely to occur as the premises operated into the early hours on Saturday and Sunday mornings

The Sub-Committee noted with approval that the interim steps imposed by the Sub-Committee at its meeting on 28 June 2016 had been adhered to and welcomed the assessment that had been undertaken of the current arrangement and coverage of CCTV cameras within the premises. The Sub-Committee further noted that since the imposition of the interim conditions there had been no further serious incidents reported by Greater Manchester Police.

It was then

RESOLVED – (1) That this Sub-Committee is of the view that in order to promote the four licensing objectives, and in particular for the prevention of crime and disorder and the promotion of public safety it was necessary and proportionate to make conditions 1-3 imposed at the interim steps review hearing permanent, namely to::

1.    Amend the current hours for the supply of alcohol for retail sale both on and off the premises and all other licensable activities to between 09:00 hours and 01:00 hours Thursday to Saturday.

2.    That all patrons shall vacate the premises within 30 minutes of the end of licensable activity.

3.    That one SIA door supervisor be employed on a Friday and Saturday. If acting in their capacity as SIA door supervisor, that person cannot undertake any other duties.

(2) That this Sub-Committee is of the view that in addition to the above, it was also necessary and proportionate to remove the non-standard timings from the licence on Saints days and public holidays.

(3) That following submissions by Mr Abbott’s legal representative at the hearing on 28th June 2016, and the agreement of the premises licence holder and Greater Manchester Police, this Sub-Committee is of the view that the following conditions were either unnecessary for the promotion of the licensing objectives or contradicted the conditions imposed by the Sub Committee and therefore removed them from Annex 2 of the Premises Licence:

The above hours do not prohibit the following:

·         during the first twenty minutes after the above hours, the taking of alcohol from the premises unless the alcohol is supplied or taken in an open vessel;

·         consumption of the alcohol on the premises or the taking of or sale or supply of alcohol to any person residing in the licensed premises;

·         the ordering of alcohol to be consumed off the premises, or the dispatch by the vendor of the alcohol so ordered;

·         the sale of alcohol to a trader or club for the purposes of the trade or club;

·         the sale or supply of alcohol to any canteen or mess, being a canteen in which the sale or supply of alcohol is carried out under the authority of the Secretary of State or an authorised mess of members of Her Majesty's naval, military or air forces;

·         the taking of alcohol from the premises by a person residing there;

·         the supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises to any private friends of a person residing there who are bona fide entertained by him at his own expense, or the consumption of alcohol by persons so supplied;

·         the supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises for people employed there for the purposes of the business carried on by the holder of the licence, or the consumption of liquor so supplied, if the liquor is supplied at the expense of their employer, or of the person carrying on or in charge of the business on the premises.

·         The number of persons admitted to the premises during the time the premises are being used for the purposes for which this Licence is granted shall not exceed the stated number and a Notice must be displayed above the entrance of the premises as follows:

o   "The Maximum Occupancy for Regulated Entertainment is 250"

·         External windows and doors to be kept closed when music, singing and dancing are in progress and the level of noise emanating from the premises must not be such as to cause a nuisance to inhabitants of the neighbourhood.

·         The Licensee shall not permit persons to smoke whilst dancing.

·         Hypnotism: No person shall give at the premises (otherwise than as provided by Section 5 of the Hypnotism Act 1952) any exhibition, demonstration or performance of hypnotism, mesmerism, or any similar act or process which produces or is intended to produce in any other person any form of induced sleep or trance in which the susceptibility of the mind of that person to suggestion or direction is increased or intended to be increased.

·         When children are on the premises, any entertainment offered within the premises will be suitable for young persons.

·         Those customers smoking will be supervised by door staff to ensure the public pavement is not obstructed.

·         Customers/members of the public will not be permitted to enter the premises at or beyond 0200hrs. This will be applicable on a Saturday and Sunday morning.

·         Customers will not be permitted to stand/congregate immediately outside the premises with any drinks.