Agenda and minutes

          The minutes of the meeting held on the 31 May 2024 having been circulated were signed as a correct record.

The Committee met to consider an application which has been made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 to grant the above premises licence.  The hearing was held in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003 and Licensing Act 2003 (Hearings) Regulations 2005.

PREAMBLE

A meeting of the Regulatory Sub-Committee (acting as Licensing Committee under the Licensing Act 2003) of Halton Borough Council was held at Runcorn Town Hall on Wednesday 12th June 2024 commencing at 1.30pm.  The meeting was held to hear an application made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 for the grant of a Premises Licence for a new restaurant at 74 Albert Road, Widnes. The application was amended prior to and during the hearing with the proposed closing hour for the premises being amended from 1am to midnight (Sunday to Thursday) (with the supply of alcohol terminating at 11.30pm) and the proposed closing hour for the premises remaining at 1am (Friday and Saturday) (with the supply of alcohol terminating at 12.30am). It was this amended application that was determined by the Sub-Committee.

In attendance were: -

·       Members of the Regulatory Sub-Committee comprising Cllr Pamela Wallace (Chair), Cllr Angela McInerney and Cllr Kath Loftus (`the Sub-Committee’);

·       Mark Marshall of M Squared Services Ltd (Poulton Le Fylde) representing the Applicant - namely Mr Karan Ravi Sasi (‘the Applicant’)

·       Cllr Eddie Jones (‘the Ward Member’ and objector);

·       Kim Hesketh (Licensing Manager); and

·       Alex Strickland (Legal Adviser).

There were four written objections from local residents (Denis Leigh, June Leigh, Lyn Fletcher and Pauline Malcolm) and two Ward Councillors (Councillor Eddie Jones and Councillor Angela Teeling) (‘the Objections’ and ‘the Objectors’).   After the Chair of the Sub-Committee had introduced the parties, the Legal Adviser outlined the procedure to be followed. The Licensing Manager presented the Licensing Report with appendices including Location Plan (Appendix A), the schedule of Licensed Premises in the local area (Appendix B), the (original) Application (Appendix C), correspondence sent to objectors on behalf of the Applicant (Appendix D), copies of objections from the objectors (Appendix E) and relevant extracts from statutory guidance (Appendix F),  setting out the nature of the application and the relevant representations that had been made, noting that there had been no representations from responsible authorities. 

Details of the application (as amended before and during the hearing)

The application as amended is for the grant of a Premises Licence as follows:-

Supply of Alcohol

Sunday to Thursday 11:00 to 23:30; and

Friday and Saturday 11:00 to 00:30.       

Hours open to the public

Sunday to Thursday 11:00 to midnight; and

Friday and Saturday 11:00 to 01:00.

Late Night Refreshment

Sunday to Thursday 23:00 to midnight; and

Friday and Saturday 23:00 to 01:00.       

Operating Schedule

The conditions as set out in the Operating Schedule to the Application dated 17 April 2024 (set out in Appendix C to the Licensing Report) (amended as above to reflect a change in hours) and taking account of the matters contained in the letter dated 4 May 2024 sent on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.