Agenda item

(Director of Governance) To note the agreed procedure for the conduct of business, as attached.

The three Councillors that presided over this item were Councillors P Keska, D Dorrell and J Jennings.

The Chairman introduced the members and officers present and outlined the procedure that would be followed for the determination of the application. The Chairman welcomed Mr K Clarke for the Co-op who was the applicant and Mr R Arnot, Solicitor for the Co-op. A representative from Loughton Town Council, in objection to the application, Councillor J Angold-Stephens was also in attendance.

(a)        The Application before the Sub-Committee

The Licensing Compliance Officer H Ibrahim introduced the application. The application had been made by the Co-operative Group Food Limited for a new premises licence at Ground Floor of The Landmark, Corner of The Broadway and Barrington Green, Debden IG10 3SP. The application was for the supply of alcohol, Monday to Sunday 07:00 to 23:00 hours. The application was received on the 29 September 2017.

The responsible authorities had received a copy of the application and it had also been advertised at the premises and in a local newspaper. All residences and businesses within a 150 metre radius of the premises had been individually consulted. The Council had received representations from Loughton Town Council and one local resident which related to the prevention of crime and disorder and the prevention of public nuisance.

(b)            Presentation of the Applicant’s Case

The Solicitor for the Co-op, Mr Arnot advised that the Co-op was the sixth largest supermarket in the Country, employed approximately 78,000 people and had over 2,200 shops. The new store was due to open in February 2018 and it was a convenience store, part of a convenience store was to sell alcohol and on our experience 85% of the turnover would be sales of groceries and 15% alcohol.

The Co-op have been established for over 170 years and understood their responsibilities towards licensing and selling alcohol at their stores. All new staff were fully trained they would have a four hour induction with an exam at the end of the induction period. If they passed the exam they would then be allocated an experienced member of staff to work alongside for up to four weeks or until that member of staff thought the trainee was ready to work alone. Trainees are not allowed to sell alcohol until this training had passed and the supervisor / manager was satisfied that the trainee was competent in putting into practice the Challenge 25 policy when selling alcohol. There would be 3 licensed Designated Premises Supervisor’s at the store and 16-20 employees.

Mr Arnot stated that the Co-op had taken on board the comments of the objectors but would like to point out that legally the objection from Loughton Town Council should not have been included due to their comments being speculative. Objections cannot be speculated there had to be evidence and as the store was not yet trading there was no evidence.

In summing up Mr Arnot expressed that the premises would be well lit with CCTV inside and outside of the premises. There would be two large Challenge 25 notices placed in prominent places within the store. All staff would be fully trained in dealing with customers wishing to purchase alcohol and enforcing the Challenge 25 policy. The opening hours of the store would be 07:30 to 23:00 hours Monday to Sunday and all alcohol was take out and consumed off of the premises.

(c)             Questions for the Applicant from the Sub-Committee

Councillor Dorrell asked why the licensing hours and the premises hours of opening were different. He noted that the premises hours of opening were Monday to Thursday 07:30 to 23:00 hours, Friday and Saturday were 07:30 to 00:00 hours and Sunday was 09:00 to 23:00 hours, whereas the licensing hours that they were applying for were Monday to Sunday 07:00 to 23:00 hours. How would you control selling alcohol from the hours of 23:00 to 00:00 on Friday and Saturday. Mr Arnot replied that they would never open until midnight they would close at 23:00 every day. They had applied for licensing hours from 07:00 hours as they may, in the future, open at 07:00 hours and then they would not have to apply for a variation of the license.

Councillor Dorrell asked if there was any specific training given around dealing with college students, due to the close proximity of the college to the Co-op,  as the students ages ranged from 16-20 years old. Mr Arnot replied that there would be no specific training other than Challenge 25. If there were any issues which arose with college students they would contact the college and liaise with them to work out a satisfactory solution.

Councillor Jennings asked how the self-service tills would work with people trying to buy alcohol. Mr Clarke advised that the tills would be programmed to alert staff that someone was trying to buy alcohol and staff would have to give authority at  the till for the sale of the alcohol and if they thought the person was under the age of 18 they would be able to then enforce the Challenge 25policy.

Councillor Keska asked if they had any special measures in place for a particular problems for example shoplifting. Mr Arnot stated that any specific problems that needed training would be arranged training be given to staff. If they had a problem with shoplifting there were measures they could take for example employing security on the door.

(d)             Questions for the Applicant from the Objector

Councillor J Angold-Stephens stated that this was a residential area and why had the Co-op asked for opening hours until 00:00 hours on a Friday and Saturday. Mr Arnot explained that when they applied for planning they were required to put down opening hours of the premises. In the meantime they had decided that they would not open any evening beyond 23:00 hours which was reflected in the application for the required licensing hours, He also advised that alcohol was for off sales only and would not be consumed on the premises.

(e)             Presentation of the Objectors

The representative for Loughton Town Council had nothing further to add.

(f)              Questions for the Objector from the Sub-Committee

The Sub-Committee had no questions for the Objector.

(g)             Questions for the Objectors from the Applicant

The Applicant had no questions for the Objector.

(h)             Closing Statement from the Objectors

The representative from Loughton Town Council had nothing further to add.

(i)               Closing Statement from the Applicant

The applicant’s Solicitor, Mr Arnot, stated that the Co-op did not want to upset any of the neighbourhood as they had a very good track record with their other stores up and down the country.

(j)               Consideration of the Application by the Sub-Committee

The Chairman requested that the applicants withdraw from the chamber while they considered the application in private. During their deliberations the Sub-Committee received no further advice from the officers present.

            RESOLVED:

(1)        That the application for a New Premises Licence for the Co-operative Group Food Limited, The Landmark, Corner of The Broadway and Barrington Green, Debden IG10 3SP, be granted subject to the conditions which are consistent with the Operating Schedule and the mandatory conditions which the Sub-Committee considered were reasonable and proportionate for the promotion of the licensing objectives.