Agenda item

The report of the Licensing Enforcement Officer.

The Chair introduced all parties in attendance and outlined the procedures to be followed.

The Licensing Act (Hearings) Regulations 2005 stated that the Authority must allow parties an equal period of time in which to present their evidence. It was agreed that the maximum time limit for each presentation would be 10 minutes.

The Licensing Enforcement Officer presented the report, highlighting the background of the report and the representations received.

The Applicant, Ms Selina Wallis, and their representatives, Mr Sam Wallis and Mr Benjamin Lee, addressed the Sub Committee. Their representation was accompanied by a slideshow presentation which included images of the pub and provided members with relevant context.

They commented that closing at 1:00am under their current licence was inconvenient as the pub was very busy at that time and this led to a large flow of people leaving the pub all at once. The manager of the pub recalled instances where they had put temporary event notices in place which allowed the pub to close at 2:00am, and they found that this had a positive impact as people left gradually, minimising disruption.

It was stated that a doorman would be present during peak periods and at weekends, and that a member of management or a team leader would be in the outside bar area who ensured that Challenge 21 was in place, there was no broken glass, and that everything was operated safely and legally.

The Applicant and their representatives also mentioned that they had invested in high-quality CCTV both at the front and the rear, and that noise levels were monitored both inside and outside of the building which minimised disruption. Furthermore, the Applicant confirmed that the live music was expected to be performed between the hours of 4:00pm and 7:00pm typically by an acoustic singer rather than a full band.

Members asked the Applicant and their representatives whether people could access the business from the rear. Mr Lee replied that it was policy to enter from the front.

A discussion was had regarding the number of noise complaints that had been received. The Licensing Enforcement Officer noted that, while 4 noise complaints had been received by The Bulls Head, they all related to a Bank Holiday weekend in August 2025, and a neighbouring pub had received 8 complaints at the same time which caused confusion as to who the complaints were aimed at.

The Interested Party, Ken Ward, addressed the Sub Committee. He commented that there was no intention to cause a loss of sales to the pub but expressed concerns over a possible increase in vandalism, recalling instances where shop windows had recently been smashed in the area. He added that he was confused about opening times and expressed a need for better communication.

It was asked whether different opening times could have been put in place for different activities. Members were advised that the licensing activity would have mirrored the relevant opening times, and that it would have created problems if there were separate licences for different activities. The Legal Advisor added that the Applicant had not expressed an interest in adding conditions on their licence.

As part of a closing speech, the Licensing Enforcement Officer noted that closing times regarding the inside and outside should be clarified when finalising the licence.

The Applicant declined the opportunity for a closing speech.

As part of a closing speech, the Interested Party stated they felt more assured, although they believed the extended opening hours were excessive.

The meeting adjourned at 3:56pm.

The meeting reconvened at 4:15pm.

The Chair read out the decision notice and stated they had decided to grant the application for a variation of the premises licence, and that the Interested Parties were advised that a review of the licence could be considered should any issues be raised in future. It was also noted that the Applicant had agreed to the conditions suggested by the police.

RESOLVED THAT:

The variation of the premises licence be granted.