Resolved – That Councillor A Hodson be appointed Chair for this meeting.

Members of the Licensing Panel are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non pecuniary interests, in connection with any application on the agenda and state the nature of the interest.

Members of the Panel were asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non pecuniary interests, in connection with any application on the agenda and state the nature of the interest.

No such declarations were made.

The Legal Advisor to the Licensing Panel announced that this meeting was being held virtually, was being webcast and a record would be retained.

The Director of Law and Governance reported upon an application that had been received from Lateral Wylde Limited for a Premises Licence in respect of Lateral, 83 Banks Road, West Kirby.

It was reported that the premises do not currently have a Premises Licence.  The hours applied for were set out within the report. 

The applicant had submitted an operating schedule setting out how the business would be conducted/managed in accordance with the four licensing objectives. A copy of the full application was available. Members were advised that the proposals set out in the operating schedule may become conditions of the licence should the application be granted.  It was reported that following discussions with Merseyside Police, the applicant had agreed to include two conditions on the Premises Licence, one relating to CCTV and the other relating to the requirement for customers to provide proof of identity as stated within the report.

In respect of the application 16 representations had been received from local residents who were objecting to the application.  The representations related to antisocial behaviour and concerns of noise nuisance from entertainment coming from the premises and nuisance being caused by customers both inside the premises and within the vicinity of the premises.

Two representations had also been received from local residents who were in support of the application as they considered that the granting of the application would not undermine the Licensing Objectives.

Representations had also been received from Local Councillors Tony Cox, Alison Wright and Jeff Green who supported the representations submitted by local residents who were against the application.  Copies of all representations were available.

The applicant attended the meeting by way of video conference.

Ward Councillor, Councillor Wright also attended the meeting by way of video conference as well as six local residents and a legal representative of a number of local residents. 

The Licensing Manager confirmed that all documentation had been sent and received including documents which had been submitted by the applicant and local residents and which had been served on all parties.  Ward Councillor Jeff Green had also submitted a written statement which would subsequently be read out during the hearing.

The Licensing Manager outlined the report.

The applicant advised that they had submitted a broad application in order to provide future flexibility and avoid the use of Temporary Event Notices.  The applicant advised the Panel that they considered the residents to have taken the business model intended out of context.  They outlined the way in which they would operate the premises and explained that it would be a bistro with table service where the serving of alcohol would be restricted to the evening time and would be accompanied by food.  The applicant informed the Panel that it would not be a vertical drinking establishment. 

The applicant outlined details of the business model for the premises which included  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.