Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Ramji Chauhan be appointed Chair of the Licensing Panel Hearing.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members.

[Note:  Licensing Panel minutes are:-

(1)          approved following each meeting by the Members serving on that particular occasion and signed as a correct record by the Chair for that meeting;

(2)          not submitted to the next panel meeting for approval.

Reasons: The Licensing Panel is constituted from a pooled membership. Consequently, a subsequent Panel meeting is likely to comprise a different Chair and Members who took no part in the previous meeting’s proceedings. The process referred to at (1) above provides appropriate approval scrutiny].

The Chairman asked the Panel Members, officers and other attendees at the meeting to introduce themselves and then outlined the procedure for the conduct of an oral hearing, which was set out in the agenda.

Report of the Divisional Director of Environment and Culture

In attendance:

The Sub-Committee did not consider the irrelevant factor referred to in the representations of the Applicants, made by Mr Sivashankar, being the cost of the refurbishment works to the Premises and the need to be open later in order to recoup those costs and make a profit.   

The Sub-Committee were grateful to the Objectors for their attendance, their practical approach to the meeting and their thoughtful questions and proposals. 

In his representations, Mr Sivashankar set out, for the benefit of the Objectors why certain conditions were only sought from 23:00.  He explained that the front forecourt did not form part of the Premises to be licensed but that there would be ‘off’ sales from within the Premises to customers sitting in the front forecourt. In response to questions, Mr Sivashankar confirmed that off sales would only to be those customers using the front forecourt and that sales of alcohol would not be made to non-customers or the general public in the same way that, for example, an off licence would do.

Mr Sivashankar also explained that the Premises intended to close an hour after the licensable activities ceased in order to allow for a longer dispersal time to minimise disruption to local residents.

Mr Sivahshankar confirmed that the Applicant agreed to all proposed conditions set out at Appendix 4, found at pages 41 and 42 of the Agenda.

Looking at the Objections contained within the Agenda, Mr Sivashankar submitted that this application could not be compared to the last licence, that this was a new premises licence and had to be viewed in its own right; that the Applicant agreed that the pavement should not be blocked by people eating or drinking, and that this would only take place on the forecourt; that submissions relating to conservation and character of the area were planning matters; and, that with apps such as Uber the days of cabs sitting outside Premises, sounding their horn waiting for their fares had passed.

Mr Sivashankar was then extensively questioned by the Objectors.  He explained that the Premises would be a café by day and a bar in the evening, but that it would primarily be food led.  The Applicant confirmed that the food would be a fusion of Indian, Mexican and Italian.  When asked about music, the Applicant said that although deregulation and the conditions applied for allowed for live and recorded music to be played, the intention was that mostly there would only be background music playing.  It was asked whether there would ever be live music.  Mr Sivashankar said that he could not say that there would never be live music, but that there were no current plans in this regard.

It was asked whether the Applicant would agree to a condition in respect of the number of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.