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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber Council Offices Market Street Newbury. View directions

Contact: Jo Watt 

Items
No. Item

7.

Election of Chairman

To elect the Chairman of the Sub-Committee

Minutes:

Following a vote, Councillor Graham Bridgman was elected as Chairman of the Sub-Committee.

8.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of interest from Members.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest received.

9.

Application No. 21/00705/LQN Aldi Foodstores, London Road, Newbury, RG14 1LA pdf icon PDF 125 KB

Proposal:    Application to vary an existing premise licence

Location:     Aldi Foodstores, London Road, Newbury, RG14 1LA

Applicant:   Aldi Stores Limited represented by Lisa Gilligan, of Freeths LLP

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Graham Bridgman, Chairman of the Sub-Committee, welcomed everyone to the meeting and explained the hybrid meeting process. The applicant’s solicitor (Ms Lisa Gilligan of Freeths LLP, representing Aldi Food Stores Limited) who had joined the meeting via Zoom confirmed she had heard and understood the introduction, and confirmed that she would alert the Sub-Committee if she could not hear at any stage during the meeting. All other attendees were present in the room.

Councillor Bridgman went on to explain the order in which parties would be asked to speak and when there would be an opportunity to ask questions of the parties. It was noted that each party or group would have up to 10 minutes to make their representations.

Councillor Bridgman introduced the Sub-Committee and the officers in attendance in the Council Chamber.

The Sub-Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 3(1)) concerning a Licensing Application from Aldi Stores Limited (represented by Ms Lisa Gilligan of Freeths LLP) for a variation to an existing premise licence in relation to Aldi Foodstores Limited, London Road, Newbury, RG14 1LA. This application had been recorded under reference number 21/00705/LQN.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Brad Timm (Licensing Officer, West Berkshire Council) and Ms Lisa Gilligan (representing the applicant, Aldi Food Stores Limited) addressed the Sub-Committee on this application.

The objector to the application (Newbury Town Council) was not in attendance. The written objection submitted by Newbury Town Council (and included in the agenda at page 37) was considered by the Sub-Committee.

Brad Timm, in addressing the Sub-Committee, raised the following points:

·         The application was to vary a premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003. The application sought to amend the hours for the sale of alcohol for off premise consumption and opening hours to 06:00 to 00:00 every day of the week (from the existing hours of 08:00 to 23:00 every day). Following discussions with Environmental Health a compromise in times had been agreed. Therefore, the applicant now sought to amend the hours for sale of alcohol (Box J of the application) and opening hours (Box L of the application) to:

Monday to Sunday (every day): 0700 to 2300

·         The applicant had confirmed that the application had been submitted as part of a nationwide programme for Aldi stores (circa 400 stores) where the current licence had a 0800 start time. It was noted that that the store had opened at 0700 over the last 12 months on occasion, either by virtue of a Temporary Events Notice (TEN) or simply to achieve social distancing under Covid-19 rules. The applicant also stated that whilst there was no intention to change the trading hours at this store on a daily basis, an extension to the hours in the licence operating schedule would permit the flexibility required.

·         The 28 day consultation period ran from 1st September 2021 to 28th September 2021.  The Responsible Authorities, Ward Members and the Parish Council had been advised by email on the 31st August2021. The application had been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.