Agenda and minutes

The Panel is requested to elect a Chairman for the hearing in line with rules agreed by the Licensing and Safety Committee. 

Councillor Fearn was elected Chairman for this meeting.

There were none.

To agree that the Chairman, after consultation with the other members of the Panel, sign the record of this meeting outside the meeting. 

It was agreed that the Chairman, after consultation with the other members of the Panel, would sign the record of this meeting outside the meeting. 

There were none. 

Members are invited to disclose any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Significant Interests in accordance with the Member Code of Conduct. Guidance on this is set out in agenda item 5.

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other significant interests (OSIs)

There were none.

Other interests

There were none.

The applicant has applied for a new Premises Licence in respect of Arena Grill and Lounge Limited 307 High Street Chatham Kent ME4 4BN.

All responsible authorities have been consulted in line with the Licensing Act.

A representation has been received from Planning, Environmental Protection, Police and a member of the public.

Discussion:

The Chairman asked those present to introduce themselves and explained the process that the hearing would follow as outlined on page 4 of the agenda and noted that the Applicant had received a copy of the “Guidelines for Licensing Hearing Panels”.

The Licensing Officer stated that, in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003, the Council had received an application fora new Premises Licence in respect of Arena Grill and Lounge Limited, 307 High Street, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4BN. The Licensing Officer referred to Section M of the application at Appendix A of the agenda report, which listed the steps that could be taken by the Applicant in promoting the four licensing objectives.

The Licensing Officer confirmed that the application had been correctly advertised in the local press and notices had been displayed at the premises for the required timescales.

The Licensing Officer confirmed that an agreement had been reached with the Applicant and Kent Police for additional conditions to be added to the operating schedule as set out in Appendix C of the agenda with the revised opening times of:

Live music (indoors)                               23:00 – 02:00

Recorded music (indoors)                       23:00 – 02:00

Late night refreshment (indoors)             23:00 – 02:00

Supply of Alcohol (on the premises)

Sunday to Thursday                               14:00 – 22:30

Friday to Saturday                                  14:00 – 01:30

The Licensing Officer confirmed that the Council had received further objections in relation to the prevention of public nuisance and no further agreements had been made.

The Chairman invited the Applicant’s legal representative, Mr Jon Wallsgrove, to present the application.

The Premises Licence for Arena Grill and Lounge would be for a small restaurant, with a capacity of 60 people.  He explained that he was appearing on behalf of another Agency who completed the original application, therefore, was not certain that the local residents had been informed of the amended operating hours put forward by Kent Police.

The original opening hours were for:

Sunday to Wednesday       14:00 – 23:00 with the sale of alcohol until 22:30

Thursday to Saturday        14:00 – 03:00 with the sale of alcohol until 02:30

The Applicant and Kent Police agreed that the late licence for Thursday would be withdrawn, with the sale of alcohol until 22:30.  For Friday and Saturday the premises would close at 02:00, with the sale of alcohol until 01:30.  The sale of regulated entertainment, food and hot drinks would continue, on Friday and Saturday, until 02:00.

In response to the objections set out in the agenda, additional suggested conditions, along with a Draft Noise Management Policy and a Draft Dispersal Policy were included in the supplementary agenda.

Mr Wallsgrove confirmed that the Applicant had been in conversation with the Environmental Protection Team, and if some of the conditions were slightly reworded, both sides would be in agreement.  

Mr Wallsgrove explained to the Panel that although the Applicant had applied for regulated entertainment every Friday and Saturday night, he had not planned on having a DJ every weekend.  If this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 801.

It is recommended that the Panel exclude the press and public from the meeting during the decision-making process for the reasons set out in the report. 

Decision:

The press and public were excluded from the meeting during the Panel’s deliberations and decision making in respect of agenda item 6, because consideration of this matter in public would disclosure information falling within paragraph  5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as specified in agenda item 7 (Exclusion of the Press and Public) and, in all the circumstances of the case, the Panel considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.