Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

No declaration of any interests were declared.

To consider the enclosed report of the Director of People and Places.

Members of the Sub-Committee met to consider a report of the Director of People and Places which sought a decision on an application to review the premises licence for the T & S Convenience Store, 76 – 78, Market Street, Chorley.

The licence holder, his colleague and legal representative attended the meeting. The legal representative informed the Sub Committee that up until that morning the licence holder had a potential purchaser for his business and  had that still been the case, the legal representative would have requested an adjournment of the hearing to allow for the sale of the business to be finalised and that this course of action had received support from the police. In view of this information they requested that the Sub-Committee consider the following two proposals:

1.    That the hearing be adjourned for five weeks to allow for the sale of the business to other potential purchasers;

2.    That the hearing be adjourned for one week to allow the premises licence holder adequate time to prepare for this review.

The Members of the Sub Committee carefully considered the license holder’s representations along with representations made by representatives of the police, trading standard services and the Council’s licensing officers.

Members were minded to refuse the adjournment as they felt it was not in the interests of public safety, the crime and disorder and protection of children from harm licensing objectives to delay the hearing of this review.

The Committee also felt that adequate time had been given to the licence holder to prepare for the review since the police submitted the application.

Having also heard from the licence holders solicitor that if an adjournment for one week be granted, they would reapply at that hearing for a further adjournment. The Committee felt they would be unlikely to entertain this request on the grounds that had been put forward as this would be detrimental to the public interest.

However, considering the late hour (approx. 3.30pm) and from a practical point of view, it was with reluctance, that the Committee felt it was reasonable to adjourn the review hearing for one week to enable a full and fair hearing within reasonable time for all parties involved in this matter and it was RESOLVED that the review would now take place on Wednesday 28 September 2011.