Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Bardoe was proposed, seconded and duly elected Chairman of the meeting.

To receive declarations of interest from Members including the term(s) of any Grant(s) of Dispensation.

The clerk to theSub - Committee explained the fire evacuation procedure and the arrangementsand constraints relating to filming or recording the meeting.

To receive declarations of interest from Members including the terms(s) of the Grant of Dispensation (if any) by the Audit Board or Managing Director.

It was reported that there were no references for the Sub – Committee to consider.

The Chairman reported that there were no urgent items for the Sub – Committee to consider.

The Chairman introduced Members present and called upon others present to identify themselves.  He then explained to the parties that the Sub-Committee intended to follow the procedure detailed in the Licensing Sub-Committee Rules of Procedure, circulated as item 6 to the agenda.

The Chairman, Councillor Bardoe, invited the Licensing Manager Mrs Philpott to introduce her report on an application received from Punch Partnerships Limited (PTL) to vary the current Premises License held under Section 34 of the Licencing Act 2003 in relation to the Pier Hotel in Greenhithe Kent.

Mrs Philpott reported that the Application received was to extend the trading hours as follows :

1.    Friday and Saturday until 00:30

2.    To extend the terminal hour by 1 hour on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays proceeding all Bank Holiday, Bank Holiday Mondays, Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, 27^th, 28^th, 29^th and 30^th December, Bonfire Night and New Year’s Day.

3.    New Year’s Eve – From the end of permitted hours on New Year’s Eve to start of permitted hours on New Year’s Day.

Mrs Philpott also explained that while there had been no objections received to the proposals from the Environmental Health Service, the Kent Police, Dartford Borough Planning Officers, Fire Safety Officer, Child Protection Agency, and Trading Standards, significant objections had been received from Local residents, and that mediation had not achieved agreement between the parties.  Consequently it was necessary to convene a Sub - Committee to resolve the application.

Mr George Domleo, the Solicitor representing PTL, explained the relevant provisions of the application. He also produced two additional letters from local residents that opposed the extension of opening hours and circulated these to the Sub – Committee.

He introduced Mr Grigg, the publican, and Mr Cherrington, the Brewery Business Development Manager, and explained that they had worked hard to produce a family orientated environment at The Pier.

He reported that there had been 27 approved applications for extended hours over the last few years and that as far as he was aware there had not been any incidents or complaints. He therefore considered that the extended hours should not prove problematic.

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It was also noted that following a pre-consultation and risk-assessment with the Kent Police Service, a number of  additional  conditions had been agreed and that they were already included within the application.

With regard to issues arising from customers drinking and smoking on the forecourt of the Pier, Mr Domleo explained that customers had also been advised to refrain from taking drinks to the front of the premises, and encouraged to use the designated space to the rear of the premises when leaving to smoke. In additional more visual notices were to be displayed to prevent noise from customers and thus to respect the needs of the residents.  An increase in boundary checks were also proposed to prevent further inconvenience for residents.

Mr Dolmeo reiterated earlier statements relating to the excellent rapport between  the publican and Authorities and drew the Sub Committee’s attention to a number of letters supporting the extended hours.

Mr Brian Parry, a local resident, expressed his concern at the proposed conditions, suggesting that the later hours would give rise to anti-social behaviour.

He explained that  properties in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.