Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

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

Resolved:

To elect Councillor Jonathan Seed as Chairman for this meeting only.

The Chairman explained the procedure to be followed at the hearing, as contained within the “Procedural Rules for The Hearing of Applications Under Schedule 3 of The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 - Sexual Entertainment Venues” (Pages 1 – 6 of the Agenda refers).

To consider and determine an Application for a Sexual Entertainment Venue for Club Rouge, 23-25 Milford Street, Salisbury 

Application by Mr Robert Stephen Ash and Mr Kevin Leslie Welchfor a Sexual Entertainment Licence (SEV) at Club Rouge, 23-25 Milford Street, Salisbury

The Licensing Officer introduced the purpose and scope of the application, the premises to which it related and the key issues for consideration.  She explained that the application was to provide lap dancing, pole dancing and topless strip tease.  The applicants already held a premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003 but this application was under a separate regime.

No complaints had been received during the ten years that the club has been operating.  However the Council had received three representations to this application, a 42 signature petition and an e-petition with 2 signatures.  There had been no objections from responsible authorities.

In accordance with the procedure detailed in the agenda, the Applicant, the Responsible Authorities and the Interested Parties were given the opportunity to address the Sub-Committee.

Key points raised by Mr Jon Wallsgrove on behalf of the Applicants were:

·            Highlighted the Thwaites decision in which the Court had held that licensing decisions should not be based on unsubstantiated concerns and speculation, in the face of contrary evidence

·            Venue had been operating for 10 years with no complaints.

·            Mr Ash was a trained and qualified security guard and had been involved with Club Rouge for 8 years. He originally bought the Club, then sold it and had now bought it back.  He is a personal licence holder, member of the British Institute of Innkeeping and member of Pubwatch.  He has hands-on involvement in the Club.

·            Mr Welch had been in the trade for 30 years.  He had been involved in the Club for 6 years. He is a personal licence holder.

·            Gareth Ash, who is the son of Mr Robert Ash, had undertaken a personal licence holder’s course and an SIA course - he would work as a door supervisor.

·            There was an experienced team running the Club.

·            The Club requested to open the premises during the day for fitness classes and therefore requested the removal of condition 4(i)

·            Regarding conditions 5(f) and (g), the entrance door was currently open and fixed.  The inside of the premises were not visible through the open door.  Asked for the removal of these two conditions.

·            Regarding condition 7(d) the only physical contact permitted in the Club is when dancers sit on the customer’s laps.  This condition would prohibit this.  The doorman would be there to impose the rules. He therefore requested that this condition be amended.

·            The only reasons for refusal of the licence would be if it was considered to be inappropriate due to locality and there had never been any objections from the surrounding area.  Although it was within the boundaries where it could be refused there had not been any evidence produced that there were going to be any adverse effects, only opinions and speculation.

·            There had been suggestion that the clientele could cause Salisbury a problem but Mr Ash knows many  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.