Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the meeting and the Chairman to present and explain the procedure for the meeting.

Proposed by Cllr Heatley, seconded by Cllr Cocking.

Decision: that Cllr Emma Parker be elected as Chairman for the duration of the committee meeting.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interests as set out in the adopted Code of Conduct. In making their disclosure councillors are asked to state the agenda item, the nature of the interest and any action they propose to take as part of their declaration.

If required, further advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests were made at the meeting.

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

There were no urgent items.

An application has been made for a new premises licence. The application has been out to public consultation and has attracted relevant representations. A Licensing Sub-Committee must therefore consider the application and representations at a public hearing. 

The Licensing Team Leader introduced the report for a new premises licence for the External Area outside of Rendezvous, 49 St Thomas Street, Weymouth and gave a detailed history of the premises.

Following a variation to the licence in 2015, outside events became more established and attracted a larger audience.   Due to the pandemic only two events were held last year, one in June for the Football and one for the August Bank Holiday, a further event was scheduled for New Year but cancelled due to the Omicron variant.  

The Licensing Team Leader advised that it was very unusual to have two very different operations covered by one licence, and Officers of Dorset Council had suggested that it would probably be more appropriate to have two separate licences so that appropriate conditions could be applied to the outside area for the events. This was not a new licence but a separation of one licence into two and there had been no objections from the Police or Town Council.

A statement responding to the concerns from the objectors was contained in the supplementary information supplied on-line.

The sub-committee were invited to ask questions of the Licensing Team Leader.

There were no questions from the applicant or the objector.

The Solicitor for the Applicant was given the opportunity to put forward the case on behalf of Stonegate Ltd.  He wanted to point out that there would only be the occasional outside event, 10 days in total throughout the year, plus the days where the England Football Team played in the Euros and World Cup football matches which fell on a Saturday or Sunday during the times applied for.  Except for the addition of New Year’s Eve, the application was not an increase in the number of events currently permitted in the external area.  The Safety Advisory Group would be engaged with any events held.  He gave updates on some of the issued raised regarding a secondary location for boats, fencing and the presence of dedicated marshalls.

The sub-committee, followed by the Licensing Team Leader, the Environmental Protection Team Leader and the objector were invited to ask questions of the Solicitor.

The Environmental Protection Team Leader had nothing further to add and there were no questions for her.

The Objector was invited to put his case forward.  His concerns were for the living and working amenity of the area and he objected on a strategic level. 

The sub-committee, followed by those in attendance were invited to ask questions of the Objector.

All parties were given the opportunity to sum up their cases, prior to the sub-committee retiring to make their decision.

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph x of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.

Proposed by Cllr Cocking, seconded by Cllr Heatley

Decision: That the press and the public be excluded for the following item(s) in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 3 of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

Decision: To GRANT a Premises Licence for the Rendezvous external area shown on the plan number L2 Revision B, with the usual mandatory conditions and the conditions consistent with the Operating Schedule as amended by the Sub-Committee for the specific times and dates as set out below, to permit the following:

Supply of Alcohol (on and off sales)

Saturday and Sunday 11:00 to 23:00

New Year’s Eve 15:00 to 01:00

Live Music and Recorded Music (outdoors)

Saturday and Sunday 11:00 to 22:00

New Year’s Eve 15:00 to 01:00

Late Night Refreshment (outdoors)

New Year’s Eve 23:00 to 01:00

Dates

•       Easter Bank Holiday Weekend (Saturday and Sunday)

•       May Bank Holiday Weekend (Saturday and Sunday)

•       May Spring Bank Holiday Weekend (Saturday and Sunday)

•       A single weekend in July, to be notified to the Licensing Authority no less than 28 days in advance (Saturday or Sunday)

•       August Bank Holiday Weekend (Saturday and Sunday)

•       New Year’s Eve

·       UEFA European Football Championship and FIFA World Cup football matches only when the England Football Team are playing and where the football matches fall on a Saturday or Sunday and in accordance with the times set out above. 

Plus all Conditions consistent with the Operating Schedule as amended by the Sub-Committee.