Agenda item

To consider the attached report for a new premises licence.

The three Councillors that presided over this item were Councillors R Morgan (Chairman), I Hadley and S Neville. The Chairman introduced the Members and Officers present. The Chairman welcomed the participants to the Sub-Committee. In attendance for the application was the applicant, Elisabeth Sharp.

(a)        The application before the Sub-Committee

The Licensing Compliance Officer, P Jones, informed the Sub-Committee that an application had been made by Mooros Chigwell Limited, Woolston Hall, Abridge Road, Chigwell, Essex IG7 6BX for a new premises licence at the same address.

The application was for the following licensing activities:

The Provision of Live Music (Indoors)

The Provision of Recorded Music (Indoors)

Late Night Refreshment (Indoors) and

The Sale by Retail of Alcohol (for consumption on the premises)

Tuesday and Wednesday        11:00 – 23:00

Thursday                                  11:00 – 00:00

Friday and Saturday                 11:00 – 01:00

Sunday                                     11:00 – 00:00

Opening Times of the premises

Tuesday and Wednesday        11:00 – 23:00

Thursday                                  11:00 – 00:00

Friday and Saturday                 11:00 – 01:00

Sunday                                     11:00 – 00:00

The application was received by the Licensing Authority on the 10 November 2020. The premises licence application and the operating schedule setting out conditions, which would be attached to the licence if this application were to be granted and they were published in the agenda. The application had been made as the previous premises licence for the location lapsed by virtue of the premises licence holder being a company which had dissolved.

The Responsible Authorities had all received a copy of the application and the application had been properly advertised at the premises, in a local newspaper. All residences and businesses within a 150-metre radius of the premises had been individually consulted.

The Licensing Authority had received one representation from a member of the public with regard to the Prevention of Public Nuisance and the Prevention of Crime and Disorder.

There were also responses from Essex Police, Environmental Health, Essex Safeguarding, Community Resilience, Essex Fire and Rescue, Chigwell Parish Council and Planning, all of which had no comments to make.

(b)       Presentation of the Application

The applicant, Elisabeth Sharp advised the Sub-Committee that the new application was for shorter hours than was previously held and that the premises would only be open as a private hire venue for events such as weddings and parties and would not be open to the general public. She stated that mid-week events were very rare and the premises would function mainly at the weekend.

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

Councillor R Morgan asked the applicant how long she had been involved in the business and if she was the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) and were all he staff fully trained.

L Sharp advised that she had worked at the premises for 8 years but she now owned the business since 2018. She stated she was not the DPS that was Lee Marns who was on the premises at every licensed event and that all the staff were fully trained.

Councillor R Morgan asked how many people did the venue hold.

L Sharp advised that the venue held up to 100 people and that events mainly took place at the weekend.

(d)       Closing Statement from the Applicant

The Applicant had nothing further to add.

(e)        Consideration of the Application before the Sub-Committee

The Chairman advised that the Sub-Committee would now proceed into private deliberations to consider the application. Therefore, the webcast was stopped and would resume when the private session was completed.

During their deliberations in private session the Sub-Committee received no further advice from the Legal Officer present.

The Sub-Committee noted all of the submissions and representations, both oral and written made in relation to this application.

            RESOLVED:

That the decision of the Sub-Committee was that the application for a Premises Licence in respect of the Mooros, Woolston Hall, Abridge Road, Chigwell, Essex IG7 6BX be granted, subject to:

(i)           the conditions as submitted by the applicant on the 10 November 2020;

which the Sub-Committee considered were reasonable and proportionate and would not undermine the licensing objectives; and

(ii)         the mandatory conditions contained in Section 19-21 of the Licensing Act 2003.

The applicants and  objectors are reminded of their right of appeal to the Magistrates Court within 21 days of date of the written notification of this decision.