Agenda item

4.1

The Chief Licensing Officer submitted a report to consider an application made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 for the grant of a premises licence for Byards Leap (E and A Premier), 51 Daresbury Drive, Sheffield, S2 2BJ (Ref. No. 138/24).

4.2

Present at the meeting were Mr Mohammad Emmad Aslam (Applicant), Jayne Gough (Licensing Strategy and Policy Officer), Samantha Bond (Legal Adviser to the Sub-Committee) and Joanne Cooper (Democratic Services).

4.3

Samantha Bond outlined the procedure which would be followed during the hearing.

4.4

Jayne Gough presented the report to the Sub-Committee, and it was noted a petition objecting to the application had been received, with 105 signatures.  The organiser of the petition had been invited to attend the hearing but was not present. The petition was attached at Appendix ‘B’ to the report.

4.5

Councillor David Barker, Chair of the Sub-Committee, invited the applicant to state his case. Mohammad Emmad Aslam stated that the people who signed the petition had done so after receiving false information from the owners of another nearby business.  He emphasised that his previous record was good, for example he had refused to serve a minor with alcohol who had been part of a Police undercover test.  He had also provided CCTV footage to assist the Police with nearby incidents.  He had 24 CCTV cameras both inside and outside the premises.

4.6

In response to questions from Members of the Sub-Committee, Mohammad Emmad Aslam stated that his shop had been open for two and a half months and he currently had a temporary licence to sell alcohol. There had been no issues with anti-social behaviour since the alcohol had gone on sale and his business had increased.  He presented a petition in support of his application with 65 signatures.  Mr Aslam explained that he always challenged customers who appeared to be under 25 and that he had experience working in a similar business.

4.7

The Chair of the Sub-Committee invited the applicant to sum up his case.

4.8

Mohammad Emmad Aslam stated that in his view the organisers of the petition against his application had endangered his business and should be held accountable for this.  The people who had signed his own petition were all local residents and he had obtained their addresses on the petition, in support of this.

4.9

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

4.10

RESOLVED: That the public and press and attendees involved in the application be excluded from the meeting, and the webcast be paused, 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.

4.11

Samantha Bond reported orally, giving legal advice on various aspects of the application.

4.12

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

4.13

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 application for a premises licence in respect of Byards Leap (E and A Premier), 51 Daresbury Drive, Sheffield, S2 2BJ (Ref no. 138/24) be granted in the terms requested.

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