Agenda, decisions and minutes

Nominations for a Chairman of the Licensing Sub Committee were sought and it was

Resolved:

To elect Councillor Allison Bucknellas Chairman for this meeting only.

The Chairman explained the procedure to be followed at the hearing, as contained within the “Wiltshire Licensing Committee Procedural Rules for the Hearing of Licensing Act 2003 Applications” (Pages 1 – 8 of the Agenda refers).

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

To consider and determine an application for a variation of a Premises Licence in respect of Central Stores, 47 Hillworth Road, Devizes made by W S Retail Limited.

Application for a Variation of  Premises Licence in respect of Central Stores, 47 Hillworth Road, Devizes made by W S Retail Limited

The Licensing Officer introduced the purpose and scope of the application, the premises to which it related and the key issues for consideration.

In accordance with the procedure detailed in the agenda, the Applicant and the Interested Party (Devizes Town Council) who had made a relevant representation were given the opportunity to address the Sub Committee.

Key points raised by Chris Mitchener from Licensing Solutions on behalf of the Applicant were:

·               These premises had recently been acquired by the Applicant and they would wish to be able to provide all of the items in their shop for sale when they are open to the public;

·               No representations had been received from Wiltshire Police, Environmental Health or from local residents;

·               No evidence had been supplied as to why serving alcohol during the requested times might cause a problem or that people might migrate to the area to buy alcohol some 2 and a half hours after late night pub/club venues in the town had closed;

·               There are other establishments in town that operated 24 hours a day and the Applicants believe that if these had/were creating problems then the Police would have made an objection to this application;

·               All of the staff who work in Central Stores are suitably trained in the sale of alcohol, with 3 monthly refresher training.  A refusal of sale book is operated.  The Challenge 25 Scheme is also operated; and

·               No one else has made any objection to the variation of hours to serve alcohol and the Applicants do not believe that serving alcohol from 05:30 would give rise to any problems.

The following question was asked of the Applicant:

Q       What is the reason for the requested change in hours?

A       The Applicant’s wish for all of their stores to operate on the same hours and there is a demand from customers to be to buy alcohol any time when the store is open.

Key points raised by Councillor Peter Evans from Devizes Town Council (Interested Party) were:

·               The premises had operated as a convenience store for many years;

·               The Town Council felt that there was not enough of a break between the pubs/clubs closing to the proposed time of start of alcohol sales at Central Stores and that the public could migrate from the town centre to Central Stores to carry out drinking;

·               There are no problems with noise at Central Stores at present and the Town Council do not believe there is a demand for alcohol sales to start at this time; and

·               This variation is inappropriate for the residential siting of the premises, it was not needed and a refusal of the variation was requested.

The following question was asked of the Interested Party:

Q       The nearest late night opening premises to Central Stores is the Southgate Inn which has a licence to 03:00, some 2 and a half hours  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.