Agenda item

6.1

The Chief Licensing Officer submitted a report to consider an application for the variation of a premises licence, made under Section 34 of the Licensing Act 2003, in respect of premises known as Club Baize, 14 West Street, Beighton, Sheffield S20 1EP (Ref No.54/21).

6.2

Present at the meeting were Patrick Robson (Solicitor for the Applicant), Adam Foster (Premises Manager), Jayne Gough (Licensing Strategy and Policy Officer), Marie-Claire Frankie (Legal Adviser to the Sub-Committee) and Jennie Skiba (Democratic Services).

6.3

Marie-Claire Frankie outlined the procedure that would be followed during the hearing

6.4

Jayne Gough presented the report to the Sub-Committee, and it was noted that a representation had been received from one public objector and was attached at Appendix “B” to the report. Ms. Gough said that the objector had been invited to attend the hearing but was not in attendance. 

6.5

Members asked for clarity on whether the variation for recorded music to be played was for both inside and/or outside of the premises as this was unclear from the report.  Patrick Robson stated that the application was for recorded to be played inside the premises, not outdoors and amended the application as such. 

6.6

Mr. Robson stated that the premises had been licensed for a number of years for the sale of alcohol and the provision of regulated entertainment, but the company that had previously held the premises licence had been dissolved, which necessitated the need for a new premises licence which had been granted in June 2021.  He said that Adam Foster had been Manager of the club for the past six years, during which time there had only been one complaint received regarding the outbreak of noise and that had been in 2015.  Mr. Robson said that the premises was primarily a snooker room with bar facilities and a function room.  He said that onus was on the objector to produce evidence to the contrary and he referred Members to the evidence previously circulated and the many supportive comments that had been received.  Mr. Robson said that there was no evidence of parking issues or, as referred to in the complaint, smashed up cars or fights having taken place.

6.7

In response to questions from Members of, the Legal Adviser and the Licensing Officer to, the Sub-Committee, Adam Foster stated that the only ventilation of fresh air into the premises was through the main doors, as the windows in the function room were boarded up with 18mm thick medium density fibreboard (MDF).  Mr. Foster said that one of the windows had been broken, but this had been repaired from the inside, again with MDF. Following the outbreak of Covid 19 and the need for better ventilation inside premises, Mr. Foster stated that there had been a risk assessment carried out in the bar area, but as no large events had been held, there was no risk assessment of the function room, to which the Licensing Officer stated that the Licensing Service would expect a risk assessment of the entire premises to be in place in relation to windows/doors being left open to allow fresh air ventilation in relation to covid measures, and the mitigating factors the premises will put in place to avoid noise break out and possible nuisance as a result.

6.7

Patrick Robson summarised the case on behalf of the applicant.

6.8

Jayne Gough outlined the options available to the Sub-Committee.

6.9

RESOLVED: That the public and press and attendees involved in the application be excluded from the meeting before further discussion takes place on the grounds that, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, if those persons were present, there would be a disclosure to them of exempt information as described in paragraph 5 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.

6.10

Marie-Claire Frankie reported orally, giving legal advice on various aspects of the application.

6.11

At this stage in the proceedings, the meeting was re-opened to the public and press and attendees.

6.12

RESOLVED: That, in the light of the information contained in the report now submitted, the representations now made and the responses to the questions raised, the Sub-Committee agrees to grant the variation to the premises licence in respect of the premises known as Club Baize, 14 West Street, Beighton, Sheffield S20 1EP (Ref No.54/21) in the terms requested which does not include playing of recorded music outdoors (as confirmed by the Council’s Legal Adviser at the end of the hearing).

(NOTE:  The full reasons for the Sub-Committee’s decision will be included in the written Notice of Determination).