Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest from Members.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Sub-Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 2) concerning an application for the review of a premises licence under Section 51 of Licensing Act 2003 for the premises the Bricklayers Arms, 137 Bartholomew Street, Newbury RG14 5HB.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution Inspector Malcolm Whittaker (Thames Valley Police) Sarah LeFevre, Barrister, (Licensee Agent) and Ian Pearson, Business Relations Manager (Licensee) addressed the Sub-Committee on the aforementioned application.

Alan Lovegrove representing the Licensing Authority presented his report to the Sub-Committee. On 17^th February 2011 West Berkshire Council Licensing Department received an application from Superintendent Robin Rickard of Thames Valley Police, Newbury Police Station, Mill Lane, Newbury for the review of the Premise Licence for The Bricklayers Arms (Purple Lounge),137 Bartholomew Street, Newbury under Section 51of the Licensing Act 2003.

The consultation period for the above named premises ran from 18^th February 2011 to 17th March 2011. Within the prescribed 28 day consulting period the Licensing Department received one other representation from Ros Haynes Service Improvement Manager, Safeguarding, West Berkshire Council. Her representation and grounds for the review were based on the licensing objective ‘The Protection of Children from Harm’.

The application to review this licence by Thames Valley Police related to the following licensing objectives:

(1)       The Prevention of Crime and Disorder

(2)       The Protection of Children from Harm

Details of the grounds for this review would be explained in full by a representative of the Thames Valley Police and Ros Haynes. At the review hearing the authority could take any of the following steps which they considered necessary in order to promote the licensing objectives:

(a)       modify the conditions of the licence;

(b)       exclude licensable activity from the scope of the licence;

(c)        remove the designated premises supervisor;

(d)       suspend the licence for a period not exceeding three months;

(e)       revoke the licence.

For this purpose the conditions of the licence would be modified if any of them were altered or omitted or any new condition was added.

Inspector Whittaker addressed the Committee. He was representing Inspector David Milsom of the Newbury Town Centre Neighbourhood Team, who was the applicant from Thames Valley Police. Inspector Whittaker presented the report that Inspector Milsom had provided in the application. The grounds for the review being requested were the failed test purchases.  At 3:05pm on Saturday 27^th November 2010 two females aged 15 and 16 were served two pints of Fosters Larger. On Saturday 29^th January 2011, two 16 year old females were sold two bottles of Smirnoff Ice. Fixed penalty notices were issued to the sellers on each occasion.

Two further conditions of the Licence had also been breached. The first being that door staff would be present on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 22:00hours. The second that no children would be permitted onto the premises after 21:00hrs. At 8pm on Saturday 15^th January 2011 – two Police Community Support Officers were patrolling outside the premises and found a female who was known  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.