Agenda and minutes

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any personal interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda. If the interest arises only as result of your membership of another public body or one to which you have been appointed by the Council then you only need to declare it if you intend to speak.

If the personal interest is a prejudicial interest, you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

Councillor Thomas McGowan advised the meeting that the premises to be considered during the next item was located within the Ward he represented, but, as he was unfamiliar with the business, he wished to remain in the meeting to participate in the determination of the application.  The applicants’ representative present at the meeting, raised no objection to Councillor McGowan remaining in the meeting.

Report of Corporate Director (Governance) (enclosed)

The Director of Corporate Governance submitted a report on an application from Cobbetts LLP on behalf of Pub Support Company for a new Premises Licence to be granted in respect of the Queens Arms Public House, Chapel Street, Chorley under the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003, following the surrender of the previous licence by the licence holder on 10 May 2008.  The application broadly mirrored the previous licence in terms of the permission sought for the sale of alcohol and regulated entertainment, together with the conditions that were attached to the premises by the Licensing and Safety Committee at the review hearing on 3 April 2007.

The Regional Manager of Scottish and Newcastle Brewery, a representative of the Pub Support Company and the prospective Manager of the Public House attended the meeting to support their arguments for the Premises Licence.

The Members noted that, whilst no representations had been received from any of the responsible authorities or the Environmental Health Section of the Neighbourhoods Directorate, one representation had been received from a neighbouring resident.

(At this point, the applicants and the Licensing Manager left the meeting room.)

At the conclusion of the formal hearing procedures, the Sub-Committee gave due and careful consideration to the application, balancing the applicants’ wishes to re-open the public house and assurances in relation to the future management of the business against the need to protect neighbouring residents’ residential amenities.

After considering and balancing all the relevant factors, the Sub-Committee RESOLVED to grant a new Premises Licence in respect of the Queens Arms Public House, Chapel Street, Chorley essentially to allow (i) the opening of the premises and the sale of late night refreshments from 10.00am to midnight on Sundays to Thursdays and from 10.00am to 1.00am on Friday and Saturdays; (ii) the sale of alcohol and regulated entertainment from 10.00am to 11.15pm on Sundays to Thursdays and from 10.00am to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays; (iii) the sale of alcohol from 10.00am to 1.00am on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day; and (iv) the opening of the premises for the sale of alcohol and regulated entertainment from 11.00am on New Year’s Eve to 11.00pm on the following day, subject to an additional condition requiring suitable alarms to be fitted to fire doors.

(At the conclusion of the meeting, the applicants were notified of the decision, which was confirmed in writing on 5 September 2008.)