Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Dodds, for whom Councillor Patel was substituting.

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).

There was no urgent business.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at he commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member’s judgement of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/or if it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair will explain the procedure that the Committee will follow for the hearing considered under the Licensing Act 2003 or the Gambling Act 2005.  A copy of the procedure is attached.

Noted.

To consider an application to provide Late Night Refreshment, Regulated Entertainment and the Supply of Alcohol.#

This being a special meeting of the Sub Committee, under Part Four, Section B, Paragraph 17 of the Council’s Constitution, no other business shall be considered at the meeting.

The Licensing Officer, Ms Dale Barrett, introduced the application by Sonrisa Ltd to provide the Provision of Late Night Refreshment, Provision of Regulated Entertainment and the Supply of Alcohol. It was reported that representations made by the Metropolitan Police had subsequently been withdrawn, as the applicant had accepted their recommendations, and that the council’s noise team had made representation. A number of letters of objection to the application on the grounds of noise disturbance had been received from local residents. The Licensing Officer reported that the applicants wished to submit documents giving images of the interior of the premises, and details of the proposed food and drinks menus, and price lists. Having sought the agreement of the objectors, the Chair approved the submission of these documents.

Mr Derek Pearce, Noise Team Officer, reported that the noise team’s representation took into account the history of noise disturbance at the premises. Further to the conditions recommended in the representation, Mr Pearce added that the noise team wished to amend the condition regarding the collection of glasses from the beer garden area such that glasses were collected when the beer garden closed, and not at the premises closing time. The applicant confirmed that they would comply entirely with the recommendations made in the noise team’s representation.

Cllr Jonathan Bloch, representing local residents, outlined residents’ concerns relating to this application.  Cllr Bloch referred to the constant complaints that had been made regarding noise from the premises under its previous management, the residential nature of the area in which the premises was situated, local residents’ entitlement to a good night’s sleep and the cautionary example of other local areas where late night venues had caused significant disturbances. Cllr Bloch emphasised that any premises must respect the rights of local residents to the peaceful enjoyment of their property, and that the late hours of the previous licence had caused significant disturbance and distress to local residents. Local residents requested that the hours of operation be curtailed to 1.00am, with licensable activities ceasing at 12.30am. It was reported that local residents wished for local businesses to succeed, but also wished not to be disturbed by noise nuisance from venues.

Mr Gareth Hughes, representing the applicants, addressed the issue of the new management’s link to the previous management. It was confirmed that Mr Mark Humphries had been a minority shareholder of the company that had previously managed the premises, which had gone into liquidation. The two other shareholders had no involvement in the new company. As the relevant authorities had not been notified when the previous company had gone into liquidation and the licence had not been transferred to the new company, the previous licence had lapsed, which was the reason for this new licence application. Mr Hughes confirmed that the applicants accepted all of the recommendations made by the noise team, including the reduction of the operating hours to 1.30am, with licensable activities ceasing at 12.30am. Mr Hughes explained that the applicants fully agreed with the recommendations  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.