Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Nazmin Chowdhury, John Duncan, Chris Howells, Graham Lawrence CC, Joan Lloyd, Lin Martin-Haugh, Graham Snell, Anne Wells and Tom Wren.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 7 December 2023.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 7 December 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To note the procedure for the hearing of licensing applications.

All parties noted the procedure for the Hearing which had been circulated with the agenda.

To determine an application for the grant of a premises licence for Rookery Yard, 70 High Street, Stevenage, SG1 3EA.

The Committee considered an application for the grant of a premises Licence for Rookery Yard, 70 High Street, Stevenage, SG1 3EA.

The Licensing Officer presented her report to the Committee outlining the facts of the application. She advised the Committee that there had been an error in the officer’s report. Paragraph 3.2 on page 10 of the agenda pack related to the date that the application was accepted by the Council as valid and duly made. The correct date was 5 February 2024.

The applicant had applied for a premises licence to operate a restaurant and late bar with music at Rookery Yard, 70 High Street, Stevenage.

The application included:

·         The provision of live music inside the premises, Monday to Sunday between the hours of 23:00hrs and 03:00hrs in the late bar

·         The playing of recorded music, Monday to Sunday between 08:00hrs and 23.00hrs in the restaurant and between 23:00hrs and 03:00hrs in the late bar at the rear of the premises (inside and outside)

·         The provision of performances of dance in the late bar only, Monday to Sunday between 23:00hrs and 03:00hrs.

·         The sale of alcohol on the premises, Monday to Sunday between 11:00hrs and 23:00hrs in the restaurant, and Monday to Sunday between 23:00hrs until 03:00hrs in the late bar at the rear of the premises.

The application proposed that the opening hours for the premises would be Monday to Sunday, 07:00hrs until 23:00hrs for the restaurant, and Monday to Sunday 23:00 until 03:00 for the late bar, therefore the termination time for the sale of alcohol and the closing of the premises were the same.

The site, located on the western side of High Street adjoining Rookery Yard and Primett Road, had previously functioned as a restaurant and bar / nightclub. Nearby were residential flats and offices. The previous premises licence had covered the sale of alcohol and regulated entertainment.

Environmental Health had not submitted a formal representation, but had successfully mediated 4 additional licence conditions with the applicant to prevent public nuisance.

Public Health expressed concerns related to the protection of children from harm. Following mediation from the Licensing Officer, after which the applicant had amended their application to include 4 new conditions, they had withdrawn their representation.

Hertfordshire Constabulary expressed concerns related to the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, and public nuisance. They proposed reduced operating hours and 18 additional conditions. The applicant had agreed to all 18 conditions proposed by Hertfordshire Constabulary; however, they had not agreed to the proposed adjustments in operating hours.

The Chair invited all parties to ask questions of the Licensing Officer. There were none.

The Chair then invited the Responsible Authority, Hertfordshire Constabulary, to present their case. The Senior Licensing Officer spoke of the Constabulary’s objections to the application, their key points of objection being:

·         The proposed hours for the sale of alcohol.

·         The proposed premises opening hours.

The Chair invited all parties to ask questions of the Responsible Authority.

Some Members asked questions related to staggered  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider any Part I business accepted by the Chair as urgent.

None.

To consider the following motions

1. That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraphs 1 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2. That Members consider the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Not required.

To consider any Part II Business accepted by the Chair as urgent.

None.