Agenda item

The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submits a report on an application for the review of an existing premises licence for City News, 80 Belgrave Gate, Leicester.

Report attached. A copy of the associated documentation is attached for Members only. Further copies are available on the Council’s website at www.cabinet.leicester.gov.uk or by phoning Democratic Support on 0116 4546358

Wards Affected: Castle

The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submitted a report that required the sub-committee to determine an application for a review of an existing premises licence for City News, 80 Belgrave Gate, Leicester.

The sub-committee noted that an application for a review of an existing premises licence had been received which necessitated that the application had to be considered by the sub-committee.

Ms Sherratt on behalf of the Premises Licence Holder (PLH), Mr Singh the PLH, Mr Yasin an Interpreter for the PLH, PC Webb from Leicestershire Police, the Licensing Team Manager, the Solicitor to the sub-committee and an observing solicitor were present.

Members of the public were also present.

Introductions were made and the procedure for the meeting was outlined to those present.

The Solicitor to the sub-committee clarified that the proceedings had been adjourned from 1 September 2017 as Mr Singh PLH had indicated that he did not understand English and required an interpreter, therefore an interpreter had been provided and the whole of the proceedings would be interpreted.

The Licensing Team Manager presented the report. It was noted that an application for the review of an existing premises licence had been received from Leicestershire Police on 13^th July 2017 which was made on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and the prevention of public nuisance. Concerns were raised that the premises were selling high strength alcohol products to street drinkers who then caused crime and disorder, public nuisance and impacted on public safety in the local area.

PC Webb from Leicestershire Police outlined the reasons for the application for the review of an existing premises licence and informed the sub-committee of the conditions that the Leicestershire Police would seek to be added to the existing licence. A CCTV recording was viewed by the sub-committee and PC Webb then answered questions from the sub-committee.

Ms Sherratt on behalf of the PLH was then given the opportunity to respond to the application for the review of the licence and answered questions from the sub-committee.

All parties were then given the opportunity to sum up their positions and make any final comments.

Prior to the sub-committee considering the application the Solicitor to the sub-committee advised them of the options available to them in making a decision and the relevant policy and statutory guidance that needed to be taken into account when making their decision.

In reaching their decision, the sub-committee felt they should deliberate in private on the basis that this was in the public interest and as such outweighed the public interest of their deliberation taking place with the parties represented present.

The Licensing Team Manager, the Solicitor to the sub-committee, the observing solicitor, Ms Sherratt on behalf of the PLH, Mr Singh the PLH, Mr Yasin the Interpreter, PC Webb and members of the public withdrew from the meeting.

The sub-committee then gave the application full and detailed consideration.

The Solicitor to the sub-committee was then recalled to the hearing to give advice on the wording of the decision.

The Licensing Team Manager, observing solicitor, Ms Sherratt on behalf of the PLH, Mr Singh the PLH, Mr Yasin the interpreter, PC Webb and members of the public then returned to the meeting.

The Chair informed all persons present that they had recalled the Solicitor to the sub-committee for advice on the wording of their decision.

RESOLVED

1.     That the conditions of the existing premises licence for City News, 80 Belgrave Gate, Leicester be modified to add 5 of the conditions requested by the Police as follows:

                                                         i.          The licence holder shall ensure that no beers, lagers, ciders or perrys are sold were the alcohol by volume (ABV) exceeds 5.5%

                                                        ii.          The licence holder shall keep all CCTV recordings for a minimum of 30 days and make them available to the police within 24 hrs of a request being made for those images

                                                      iii.          The licence holder shall ensure any CCTV images supplied will have been directly downloaded from the shops recording equipment

                                                      iv.          The licence holder shall ensure that any refusal to sell alcohol is recorded in a refusal book which will be kept on the premises and made available to the responsible authorities upon request

                                                       v.          The licence holder shall report any incidents of crime and disorder that occur in the shop to the police.

2.     That the Designated Premises Supervisor be removed and Mr Singh the Premises Licence Holder shall undertake to train and take the DPS qualification.

In reaching their decision the sub-committee commented that they had considered carefully the representations from both parties and had come to their decision because they felt that Mr Singh had made significant progress in addressing the problems and that with training Mr Singh would have extensive knowledge of the licensing objectives.