Agenda and minutes

Venue: Floral Pavilion, Marine Promenade, New Brighton

Items
No. Item

1.

APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR

Minutes:

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

2.

MEMBERS' CODE OF CONDUCT - DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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.

 

Minutes:

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.

3.

APPLICATION TO VARY A PREMISES LICENCE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE LICENSING ACT 2003 - FIT GRILL, 1a VILLAGE ROAD OXTON pdf icon PDF 114 KB

Minutes:

The Director of Law and Governance reported upon an application that had been received from Fit Foods Wirral Limited to vary a Premises Licence in respect of Fit Grill, 1a Village Road, Oxton.

 

It was reported that the premises currently have a Premises Licence and the permitted hours were set out within the report.  The hours applied for to vary the Premises Licence were also set out within the report.  The application submitted was also to remove a condition from the Premises Licence that “the primary use of the premises shall be that of a café/restaurant and alcohol will only be sold as an ancillary to the provision of food.”

 

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. 

 

In respect of the application eight representations had been received from local residents.  The representations related to concerns of crime and disorder and public nuisance being caused to local residents should the application be granted.  Copies of the representations were available.

 

The applicant, Mr Robinson attended the meeting.  A number of local residents were also in attendance.

 

The Licensing Manager confirmed that all documentation had been sent and received.

 

The Licensing Manager outlined the report.

 

The applicant advised that the application had been made in order to seek flexibility to provide some customers with alcohol without the provision of food and to extend the times during which the business could operate.  The applicant highlighted the fact that the premises had been closed for most of the year due to the pandemic which had resulted in a financial impact on him and the business.  Mr Robinson emphasised the fact that he did not want the premises to operate as a bar and it would be first and foremost a restaurant with the provision for people being able to continue to drink after they had finished their meal and for a limited number of people to have a drink without having a meal.  He informed Members that he would not allow large groups of people to enter the premises for a drink only and that he expected this offer to be primarily for couples. 

 

Mr Robinson outlined the way in which his business operated which was to provide healthy food and drink to his customers.  He advised that smoking and vaping would be discouraged outside the vicinity of the premises.

 

Mr Robinson responded to questions from Members of the Licensing Panel, local residents and Mr D K Abraham, Legal Advisor to the Panel.

 

Mr Robinson acknowledged the concerns expressed by residents and advised that he was very much aware of the issues relating to parking in the area.  He advised the Panel that he did not want the operation of his business to be a cause for concern to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE LICENSING ACT 2003 - CONTENTO RESTAURANT, 146 BELVIDERE ROAD, WALLASEY pdf icon PDF 113 KB

Minutes:

The Director of Law and Governance reported upon an application that had been received from SR (Wirral) Limited for a Premises Licence in respect of Contento Restaurant, 146 Belvidere Road, Wallasey.

 

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. 

 

In respect of the application eleven representations had been received from local residents.  The representations related to concerns of public nuisance being caused to local residents should the application be granted.  Copies of the representations were available.

 

The applicant, Mr Buck attended the meeting together with his representative Mr Nickson and the proposed Manager of the premises.

 

Councillor Paul Hayes attended the meeting on behalf of local residents and a number of local residents were also in attendance.

 

The Licensing Manager confirmed that all documentation had been sent and received.  Councillor Hayes referred to one of the documents submitted by an individual who lived in Bebington and highlighted the fact that this was some distance away from these premises.

 

In response to this, Mr Nickson advised that he would explain the relevance of the letter in his submissions.

 

The Licensing Manager outlined the report.

 

Mr Nickson addressed the Panel and advised that the application for a Premises Licence had been made in order that alcohol could be supplied as part of the offer as a restaurant. Mr Nickson further advised that the applicant had a number of years’ experience operating restaurants in residential areas in Wirral.  Mr Nickson made reference to the letter submitted by an individual who had previously been opposed to an application for a restaurant in a residential area operated by the applicant but that he was now content to endorse the applicant as a competent and ethical person to operate such a business.

 

Mr Nickson, on behalf of the applicant, referred to the comprehensive conditions put forward in the application to ensure that the premises would operate in accordance with the licensing objectives.  Mr Nickson made reference to the fact that car parking was a particular concern raised by local residents within their representations, however he submitted that car parking was not a relevant consideration for the Licensing Panel in determining the application. 

 

The applicant addressed the Panel and outlined his experience operating two restaurants in residential areas without causing issues to local residents.  He advised that through this experience he had put measures in place to prevent causing a nuisance to local residents, for example, he ensured that customers remained inside the premises whilst waiting for taxis late at night. He emphasised to the Licensing Panel that the business would operate as a tapas restaurant and not a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.