Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chair for the purposes of this meeting.

RESOLVED: That Councillor Mrs Bath be appointed Chair of the Panel for the purposes of this meeting.

To note that there are no Reserve Members currently appointed to this Panel.

RESOLVED: To note that no Reserve Members were currently appointed to this Panel.

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members present.

RESOLVED: To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business to be transacted at this meeting.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED: That all items be considered with the press and public present.

The minutes of each Panel meeting are signed by the relevant Chair, to confirm their accuracy, shortly after the meeting has taken place.  Minutes of such previous meetings appropriately are not submitted to subsequent Panels, which will be considering relevant cases under different Chairmanships.

RESOLVED:To note that the minutes of each panel are signed by the relevant Chair, to confirm their accuracy, shortly after the meeting has taken place.  Minutes of such previous meetings appropriately are not submitted to subsequent Panels, which will be considering relevant cases under different Chairmanships.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 18 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED: To note that no public questions were put, or petitions or deputations received at this meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rules 18, 15 or 16 respectively.

Procedure to be followed at an oral hearing.

The Chair introduced the Panel and officers present and outlined the procedure for the conduct of an oral hearing, which was set out in the agenda.

The Chief Environmental Health Officer’s representative informed the Panel that the representations received in respect of the South Harrow Off Licence had been withdrawn that afternoon and that, as a result, the application would not now require determination by the Panel.

It was noted that the application for a conversion and simultaneous variation for South Harrow Off Licence would therefore be granted by the Chief Environmental Health Officer under the provisions set out in the Council’s Licensing Policy and Delegation of Licensing Functions.  Members requested that they be sent a copy of the letter granting the application.

The Chief Environmental Health Officer’s representative at the meeting informed the Panel that the representations received in respect of the New Moon public house had been withdrawn that afternoon and that, as a result, the application would not now require determination by the Panel.

It was noted that the application for a conversion and simultaneous variation for the New Moon public house would therefore be granted by the Chief Environmental Health Officer under the provisions set out in the Council’s Licensing Policy and Delegation of Licensing Functions.  Members requested that they be sent a copy of the letter granting the application.

The Panel received a report of the Chief Environmental Health Officer, which detailed an application for a conversion and simultaneous variation to the Justices Licensing hours for The Junction Public House, Gayton Road, Harrow.

The application was made by Messrs Blake Lapthorn Linnell on behalf of Mitchells and Butlers Leisure Retail Ltd.  The pub’s landlord, Mr Alan Jap, and his legal representative, Ms Bushra Razek, were present.  Representatives from the two responsible Authorities, the Council’s Environmental Protection Team and the Metropolitan Police – who had made representations in respect of the application – were also present.

The application sought an extension of hours for the sale of alcohol, recorded music, live music and anything of a similar description to that falling within live music, recorded music, films or dancing to extend to the hours listed in the report of the Environmental Health Officer and the application. The application had been referred to the Panel as there were unresolved representations from responsible authorities.

The premises were situated in the corner of Gayton Road and Lyon Road, an area which was predominantly commercial but with residential flats located at very close proximity to this establishment.

A paper setting out the details of the existing music and dancing and restricted film exhibition (video) licence, held by The Junction Public House was tabled at the meeting in accordance with Procedure A circulated with the agenda.

Prior to the consideration of the application, the applicant’s representative sought to further amend the hours of operation applied for and stated that the Metropolitan Police were agreeable to the alterations.  The Chief Environmental Health Officer’s representative advised that further amendments to the hours of operation could not be considered by the Panel as a fresh application would have to be made by the applicant and which would have to be advertised by the Council.  

The Panel proceeded to hear the application before them and as circulated in the agenda papers.

The representations from the Metropolitan Police focused on the preventative measures they expected the licensee to take in order to assist with the protection of children from harm and the prevention of crime, disorder and public nuisance together with reductions to the proposed opening hours.  The representatives from the Council’s Environmental Protection team placed emphasis on the prevention of noise nuisance.

Responding to issues raised, the applicant’s representative, Ms Razek, advised the Panel of the measures taken to resolve these concerns.  She informed the Panel that signs requesting patrons to leave the premises quietly had been installed, that windows and doors were fixed shut and that there was a policy to gradually disperse patrons leaving the premises.  She explained that door supervisors were already in place, that increased CCTV had been installed, that Amusement with Prizes (AWP) machines would be emptied nightly and that the landlord was a member of a Pubwatch scheme.  She asked that Members note that there had been no complaints from local residents in the five months since the arrival of the present landlord.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 101.

The Panel received a report of the Environmental Health Officer, which detailed an application for a conversion and simultaneous variation to the Justices Licensing hours for the Wealdstone Inn Public House, High Road, Harrow Weald.

The application was made by TLT Solicitors on behalf of Punch Taverns plc and not on behalf of Spirit Group Ltd, as stated in sections of the report.  The licensee, Mr Dakeland and his legal representative, Mr John Versalo, were also in attendance.  A representative from one of the responsible Authorities – the Metropolitan Police – who had made representations in respect of the application was present

The application sought an extension of hours for the sale of alcohol and the provision of live and recorded music.  Additional hours were also sought for the notable bank holidays, all of which were detailed in the report of the Chief Environmental Health Officer and the application.  The premises were situated in a detached property on the High Road, Harrow Weald, next to some residential properties.

A paper setting out details of the existing music and dancing (weekdays and Sundays) licence held by the Wealdstone Inn was tabled at the meeting, in accordance with Procedure A circulated with the agenda.

The application had been referred to the Panel as there was an outstanding representation from a responsible authority.  The Metropolitan Police were concerned with the potential consequences of the removal of a special hours condition ensuring the provision of food during extended hours.  The Police advised the Panel that requests for the provision of CCTV, signage asking patrons to leave the premises quietly and the nightly emptying of Amusement with Prizes (AWP) machines had been agreed by the licensee.  He also explained that door supervision had been provided on a voluntary basis as the premises were never full to maximum capacity.

The applicant clarified that children were only allowed on the premises if accompanied by adults, that they were only allowed in the outside area and the function room after 7.00 pm and were not allowed on site at all after 11.00 pm.

The applicant agreed to the inclusion of a condition requiring the enforcement of last entry or re-entry at midnight when extended hours were in place.  He informed the Panel that the premises were open plan and that, as a result, it would be difficult to designate a non-smoking area.

Clarification regarding the exact proposed hours of opening was requested and it was confirmed that those hours listed on p138 of the agenda were correct, and that those listed on pages 165?166 should be disregarded.

RESOLVED:  That the variation to the license for the Wealdstone Inn Public House, High Road, Harrow Weald be granted with the following conditions which include those listed at Annexe 2 of the report and those transferred from the existing music and dancing licence tabled at the meeting:

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS:

1.                   A 30 minute drinking up time to be allowed for gradual dispersal from the premises.

2.                   The premises to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.

(Note: The meeting, with the agreement of all applicants and the responsible authorities, having commenced at 3.00 pm due to the late arrival of a Panel Member, closed at 5.39 pm.)