Agenda item

The licensing officer reported that this application was a variation to extend into an unlicensed area. The police licensing team had submitted an objection, but this had been withdrawn following an additional condition agreed with the applicant. Three residents had objected but none were present at the meeting.

The applicant stated that this was a variation application for the same licensing activities and times for three further areas.

In response to questions, it was noted that this was a charity run centre aiming to enhance the community.  The application was to extend licensable activities to other areas which included the Bunhill Room, which would be used as a pop-up cookery school and for meetings and conferences. The car park area would be used for summer fetes. The well-being hub was also to be added to ensure that all areas in the centre were covered and the same rules applied for each. The Bunhill Room was situated next to the reception area. They had not had any noise complaints and had been running events for many years. They operated until 10pm at the latest and hired the venue out for evening bookings on very rare occasions. They did not have the staff capacity to allow for bookings of 100 people where alcohol was served. They were mirroring very small parts of the current licence with this variation.

RESOLVED

1)      That the application for a new premises licence, in respect of St Lukes Community Centre, St Lukes Centre, 90 Central Street, EC1V 8AJ, be granted to allow all licensable activities and hours to be extended to the Ground Floor – Wellbeing Hub, Bunhill Room and the external car park area.

2)      That conditions of the current licence shall be applied to the licence with the following additional condition.

·       The use of the external licenced area shall be limited to 9 dates per calendar year and between the hours of 9am and 8pm only. The Police and Local Authority Licensing Teams shall be notified of any such events not less than 7 days prior to the event.

REASONS FOR DECISION

The Sub-Committee listened to all the evidence and submissions and read all the material. The Sub-Committee reached the decision having given consideration to the Licensing Act 2003, as amended, and its regulations, the national guidance and the Council’s Licensing Policy.

The Sub-Committee took into consideration Licensing Policies 2 & 3.  The premises fall within the Bunhill Cumulative Impact Area.  Licensing policy 3 creates a rebuttable presumption that applications for the grant or variation of premises licences which are likely to add to the existing cumulative impact will normally be refused following the receipt of representations, unless the applicant can demonstrate in the operating schedule that there will be no negative cumulative impact on one or more of the licensing objectives.

Three local resident objections had been received and their content was noted by the Sub-Committee. There had been no representations made by any Responsible Authorities. A police objection was withdrawn after a condition was agreed. 

The Sub-Committee noted that the hours fell within framework hours detailed in Licensing Policy 6.

The Sub-Committee heard evidence that the variation sought, was to extend the existing licence to cover two further rooms and the outdoor car park area. The variation sought would enhance the offer to the local community and enhance the charity’s income stream. The Bunhill room was used for a pop-up cookery school and meeting space which was hired out and the outdoor car park area was used for summer fairs and fetes. The premises had never had a complaint and did not tend to hire rooms out for late evening events where alcohol was served.

The Sub-Committee noted that a condition had been agreed that the outdoor space would only be used on up to 9 dates per calendar year and events would be limited to between 9am and 8pm.

The Sub-Committee concluded that the granting of the variation sought with the condition agreed was proportionate and appropriate to the promotion of the licensing objectives.

The Sub-Committee noted that the hours sought were within the hours specified in licensing policy 5 and 6.  The Sub-Committee was satisfied that the operating schedule demonstrated high standards of management and that the proposed use, with the condition agreed, meant that the premises would not add to the cumulative impact.