Agenda item

(Director of Neighbourhoods) To consider the attached report.

The three Councillors that presided over this item were Councillors R Morgan (Chairman), L Hughes and B Surtees. The Chairman welcomed the participants and requested that they introduce themselves to the Sub-Committee. In attendance on behalf of the application was Mr L Marns, the Applicant. There were no objectors in attendance. The Chairman then introduced the Members and Officers present, and outlined the procedure that would be followed for the determination of the application.

(a)        The Application before the Sub-Committee

The Licensing Enforcement Officer informed the Sub-Committee that an application to vary a Premises Licence had been received from Hunt Enterprises for Mooros Events based at Woolston Hall in Abridge Road, Chigwell, along with representations from interested parties. The application was requesting permission to extend the hours of the following licensable activities by one hour to permit:

(i)         Live Music from 7.00pm to 1.00am on Fridays and Saturdays;

(ii)        Recorded Music on Thursdays and Sundays from 7.00pm to 12.00am;

(iii)       Recorded Music on Fridays and Saturdays from 7.00pm to 1.00am; and

(iv)       the Supply of Alcohol on all days from 11.00am to 1.00am.

The Licensing Enforcement Officer reported that the responsible authorities had received a copy of the application, and a representation had been made by the Council’s Environment & Neighbourhoods Manager. Following discussions with the Applicant, and their agreement to accept two further conditions on their Premises Licence, this representation had been withdrawn. Two representations had also been received from residents of the nearby Woolston Manor apartments; these related to the prevention of crime and disorder, and the prevention of public nuisance. Essex Police had offered no objections nor any further conditions to be added to the existing Premises Licence.

(b)        Presentation of the Applicant’s Case

Mr Marns informed the Sub-Committee that Mooros Events ran private hire events at Woolston Hall, such as weddings, birthday parties, Christenings, School Proms and Office Christmas parties. The venue was not a Nightclub establishment, and nor was it open to the general public. The premises were currently licensed to serve alcohol until 12.00am with a 12.30pm closing time; Mooros Events wished to extend this by an hour with sale of alcohol until 1.00pm with a 1.30pm closing time.

Mr Marns stated that there had only ever been one incident at the premises since Mooros Events had taken over, and no fights had taken place. In fact, Mr Marns contended that there were considerably more incidents at the nearby Top Golf establishment than there was from events held at Woolston Hall.

Mr Marns stated that a meeting had taken place with Essex Police and a Noise Limiter had been installed on the advice of the Crime and Disorder Team.

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

In response to questions from the Sub-Committee, Mr Marns stated that:

·        there were 16 flats opposite the Premises, but only one resident ever complained;

·        the noise levels from the music at the Premises was very faint at the flats and Mr Marns regularly walked over to the boundary of the nearest apartment to check the noise levels;

·        there was regularly more noise emanating from the customers leaving Top Golf nearby than there was from any events at Woolston Hall;

·        it was reiterated that the venue was not a nightclub and not open to the general public;

·        numerous measures to limit the noise had been implemented, and the trees also provided an element of screening for the Woolston Manor Apartments; and

·        properly accredited SIA registered Door Supervisors were employed for all events at the Premises.

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

The Sub-Committee acknowledged that the primary issue was the possible noise disturbance for the residents of the nearby Woolston Manor Apartments. However, the Sub-Committee also noted that this had been the prime concern of the Council’s Environment & Neighbourhoods Manager, and a further two conditions for the Premises Licence had been agreed with the Applicant to counter this issue. Therefore, the Sub-Committee agreed to grant the variation to the existing Premises Licence with the extra conditions agreed with the Council’s Environment & Neighbourhoods Manager.

Decision:

(1)        That the application to vary a Premises Licence for Mooros Events at Woolston Hall in Abridge Road, Chigwell for the Performance of Live Music, the Playing of Recorded Music and the Supply of Alcohol be granted, subject to the addition of the following two extra conditions previously agreed with the Council’s Environment & Neighbourhoods Manager:

(i)         An automatic noise control device shall be used to control the volume of live and recorded music. All sound equipment must be subject to control by the noise control device i.e. if those hiring the venue are allowed to bring in their own equipment then the equipment must be subject to control by the automatic control device.

(ii)        All windows and doors on the rear and side face facing Woolston Manor Apartments shall be kept closed whilst any live or recorded music is being played that is audible at the boundary with Woolston Manor Apartments.