Agenda item

An application has been made to vary the licence for Sandford Park Club in Holton Heath. The application has been out to public consultation and has attracted representations. A Licensing Sub-Committee must consider the application and representations at a public hearing. 

 

The Licensing Team Leader presented the application for a variation to the licence for Sandford Park Club in Holton Heath.   There were no withdrawn applications and due to the complexity of the current licence The Licensing Team Leader clarified the changes being applied for.  The variation sought to add outdoor entertainment until 11.00pm.  There would be no change to the current alcohol sales on the licence.  There were 4 potential conditions outlined in part M of the application relating to the monitoring of noise levels. The Licensing Team Leader outlined the effects of the Live Music Act 2012 and the legislative reform Entertaining Licence Reform Order 2014 which stated that most of the entertainment was exempt between the hours of 08.00am and 11.00pm when there is up to 500 people in the audience, the premises was open and licensed for the consumption of alcohol.  This Order  applied to plays, performance, dance, live and recorded music but not films.  The 2012 Act also stated that any conditions relating to the entertainment would not have any effect between 08.00am and 11.00pm, there was however, a safeguard in the Licensing Act that if there was a review of the licence then the provisions of the Live Music Act could be reversed.

 

There were no questions at this stage for the Licensing Team Leader.

 

The Applicant’s Solicitor was then invited to present their case.

He clarified that the Sandford Park Club was not looking to extend the licensing hours but to extend their licence to cover an outside area for the sale of alcohol provision of entertainment, together with some minor internal changes.  As pointed out by the Licensing Team Leader he reiterated the information pertaining to the Statement of Licencing Policy (pages 30-31, paras 6.22-6.69) within the report.

 

The Live Music Act other than the showing of films, and  live entertainment between 8.00am and 11.00pm for up to 500 people as part of de-regulation introduced in 2012. The bit that did not extend and was still subject to approval was the performance of films which was not covered by the de-regulation of entertainment.  The conditions were also suspended (not in terms of films) but could be imposed and come into existence if there were any complaints, leading to a review of the premises by Environmental Health. While those conditions may under the Live Music Act be suspended until the time they are imposed as the result of a review or otherwise, the Solicitor for the applicant undertook to observe those items that are contained as conditions in the Premises Licence should the sub-committee be minded to grant the application. 

 

The application for a licensed horse box bar in an area that had previously been used for seating and drinking, would enable staff to serve drinks without the need to go indoors.

 

Referring to the Acoustic Report and the aerial view on Page 10 of the report, the Solicitor for the Applicant pointed out the external canopy area where the stage would be positioned.  A tamper proof noise limiter would be installed to control all amplified entertainment including films. A resume of the proposed entertainment during peak and off-peak seasons was outlined with an account of the information within the Acoustic Report. Hand-held calibrators would check the noise levels and be recorded in a noise log, there would be a complaints contact number made available for local residents.

 

The sub-committee, the Licensing Team Leader, Objectors to the application and the Environmental Health Officer were given the opportunity to ask questions of the Applicants and the Noise Consultant.

 

The Head of Entertainment responded to questions from the sub-committee regarding the regularity and nature of the entertainment.

 

A copy of the pre-season letter sent to local residents would also be forwarded to the Environmental Health Officer.  This letter should contain a generic email address and contact telephone numbers for complainants to contact the park staff.

 

Following concerns with communications it was agreed that the Park Management Team would link with the Wareham St Martin Parish Council Clerk to ensure local residents were updated with activities on the park and given contact details in order to enable them to have a two-way conversation.  The General Manager would also attend a local Parish meeting before the start of the season.

 

Attendees were all given the opportunity to ask questions of the Environmental Health Officer.

 

The Wareham St Martin Parish Council Clerk was invited to address the sub-committee.  She referred to 5/9/17 when a mediation meeting took place and agreements were made. Communications from the park following this meeting had remained poor.  The Wareham St Martin Parish Council Clerk welcomed the implementation of the noise inhibitor and noise log but residents were still being disturbed by the events.  The Wareham St Martin Parish Council Clerk was hopeful that with the new management in place and the assurance of the Applicant’s Solicitor there would be a good two-way communication and any complaints would be taken seriously.  The Solicitor for the Applicant suggested that as well as a pre-season meeting with residents, a post season meeting could be useful and the park management could maybe post updates on the Parish Council notice board.

 

In response to an objector’s question regarding the licence, the Solicitor for the Applicant advised that the entertainment could still go ahead between 8.00am-11.00pm whether they have a licence or not.  There would still be the risk of losing that permission following a review.   The Licensing Team Leader confirmed that there were provisions within the Licensing Act to allow the entertainment to go ahead and in many ways it is better to have a licence on the site as then it would be subject to review.

 

Questions were invited for the Noise Consultant and the Solicitor for the Applicant clarified that a hand-held meter could be taken outside but not into residents homes.

 

Following questions, all parties were given the opportunity to sum up their cases and clarify what had been agreed, with the additional commitment to staff training in dealing with customer complaints.