Agenda item

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

The report details an application from J.W.Lees & Co (Brewers) Limited for a new premises licence to be granted under the Licensing Act 2003 at Unnamed Road, Off Chester Road, Woodford, Stockport for the provision of late night refreshment (indoors) Monday to Sunday 23:00 – 00:30 and the supply of alcohol (on and off the premises) Monday to Sunday 08:00 – 00:00.

The Sub-Committee is recommended to consider the application for a new premises licence at the unnamed premises, Unnamed Road, Off Chester Road, Woodford, Stockport.

Officer contact: Lindsey Delamore on 0161 474 4275 or email: lindsey.delamore@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Sub-Committee to consider an application from J.W.Lees & Co (Brewers) Limited for a new premises licence to be granted under the Licensing Act 2003 at Unnamed Road, Off Chester Road, Woodford, Stockport for the provision of late night refreshment (indoors) Monday to Sunday 23:00 – 00:30 and the supply of alcohol (on and off the premises) Monday to Sunday 08:00 – 00:00.

The applicants and their representative attended the meeting and answered Councillors’ questions in relation to the application. At this stage in the proceedings, the applicant’s representative indicated that the applicant would be prepared to amend the application to:-

·         reduce the hours for the supply of alcohol on and off the premises to between 08.00 hours and 23.00 hours, Sunday to Thursday. 

·         reduce the hours for the provision of late night refreshment from 23.00 hours to 23.30 hours, Sunday to Thursday.

·         reduce the specified opening hours to between 08.00 hours and 23.30 hours, Sunday to Thursday; and

·         propose a further condition such that the sale of alcohol between 08.00 hours and 10.00 hours Monday to Sunday shall only be ancillary to the sale of food.

Two objectors to the proposal who, having previously submitted written representations in relation to this application, also attended the meeting, explained their objections to the proposals and answered Councillors’ questions in relation to the application.

There were no representations made by any responsible 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 granting of a premises licence would result in noise nuisance caused by late night traffic; patrons exiting the premises late into the night; and the clearing of the building following the closure of the premises in the early hours of the morning.

However, while the Sub-Committee noted the concerns expressed by local residents, there was an absence of any objective evidence to substantiate the grounds of the objection, and nor had there been any representations made by any of the responsible authorities in relation to this matter. 

The Sub-Committee also noted with approval the content of the applicant’s operating schedule in respect of the prevention of public nuisance licensing objective, specifically that that notices would be positioned at the exits to the building; asking customers to leave in quiet manner; and that the emptying of bins into skips and refuse collections would not take place between 11pm and 8am.

Further, the Sub-Committee noted with approval the schedule of amendments to the original application proposed by the applicant that served to mitigate against the concerns expressed in the representations relating to late night noise disturbance.

The Sub-Committee was therefore 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 for consumption on and off the premises to be approved as follows:-

·         from 08.00 hours to 23.00 hours, Sunday to Thursday.

·         from 08.00 hours to 00:00 hours, Friday and Saturday.

·         from the start time on New Year’s Eve to the terminal hour for New Year’s Day.

(2) That the hours for the provision of late night refreshment, indoors, be approved as follows:-

·         from 23.00 hours to 23.30 hours, Sunday to Thursday.

·         from 23.00 hours to 00:30 hours, Friday and Saturday.

·         from the start time on New Year’s Eve to the terminal hour for New Year’s Day.

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

·         from 08.00 hours to 23.30 hours, Sunday to Thursday.

·         from 08.00 hours to 00:30 hours, Friday and Saturday.

·         from the start time on New Year’s Eve to the terminal hour for New Year’s Day.

(4) That the sale of alcohol between 08.00 hours and 10.00 hours, Monday to Sunday shall only be ancillary to the sale of food.