Agenda and draft minutes

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The Chair referred to the filming of meetings and this information was noted.  

To receive any apologies for absence.

There were none.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of Urgent Business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with under item 7 below).

There was no urgent business.  

There were no declarations of interest.  

The Sub-Committee will first hear from the Licensing Officer.  After that, the applicant will present their application and the Sub-Committee and objectors will have the opportunity to ask questions. Then, the objectors will present their case and the Sub-Committee and objectors will have the opportunity to ask questions. 

All parties will then have the opportunity to sum up, and then the meeting will conclude to allow the Sub-Committee to deliberate and reach a decision. This decision will then be provided in writing within five working days of this meeting.

The Chair provided a summary of the procedure for the meeting.  

To consider an application for a variation of an adult gaming centre.

Presentation by the Licensing Officer

            Ms Daliah Barrett, Licensing Team Leader, informed the Sub-Committee that:

·         The application was for an adult gaming centre.

·         The application sought an increase in operating hours.

·         The premises operated until 23:00 and the application sought to be able to operate 24 hours a day.

·         The Local Area Gambling Risk Assessment could be found from page 17 of the agenda papers.

·         The Green Lanes area was one of the areas of concern within the Council’s Statement of Gambling Policy.

·         The Police had requested additional conditions which had been agreed with the applicant.

·         Representations had been made from Public Health, two ward councillors and the Licensing Authority.

Presentation by the applicant

            Mr Andrew Woods, Mr Gavin Tresidder, Mr Ben Tresidder and Ms Anna Zeitkiewic, representing the applicant, informed the Sub-Committee that:

·         The business owners had 15 similar premises (adult gaming centres) which they ran. A total of 14 out of 15 of these premises traded 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

·         The premises was used during the night sometimes by shift workers and other patrons. There would be a maximum of five people at a time in these premises, maybe less. The business owners were very knowledgeable and experienced in operating licensed premises on a 24-hour basis. They knew their patrons, the types of patrons that used their services and they knew how to promote the licensing objectives.

·         The premises had been open for three years having opened in February 2022.

·          As an adult gaming centre, the premises offered a low stake in gambling. The highest stake in the premises would be a £2.00 and the average age of a patron was 35.

·         The patrons were a mix of male and female and there was a condition not to try to beyond 23:00. The premises was also bound by a similar planning condition and therefore an application would still have to be made to the Planning Authority.

·         Some of the representations referred to various planning policies.

·         In relation to the Council’s licensing policy, the business owners were aware of the area and it was notable that this application was not for a new application but an application to vary a licence.

·         The premises had been trading for three years without any issues. None of the objectors had attended the premises to express any concerns.

·         There were 24 Gambling Commissions general conditions that the premises had to comply with and it was not suggested that the premises did not comply with those conditions.

·         There had been no suggestion that the premises did not comply with the licensing objectives.

·         There was no suggestion that vulnerable adults in the community had not been protected or that crime was an issue at the premises.

·         The Police had withdrawn their representation and had not expressed any concern with crime at the premises.

·         The original local authority risk assessment had some points missing in terms of houses of multiple occupancy. The documents in the first set of additional papers was an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider any items of urgent business as identified at item 3.