1. DETAILS OF THE APPLICATION

Applicant

Punch Taverns Plc

Premises

Old Comical

15 St Johns Road

Sandown

Isle of Wight PO36 8ES

Conversion & Variation Application

This application is for a conversion of the Premises Licence during the transitional period under Schedule 8 paragraph 2(2) of the Licensing Act 2003 and for a variation of the Premises Licence during the transitional period under Schedule 8 paragraph 7(1) (b) of the Licensing Act 2003. (Appendix 1)

The Operating Schedule shows:

Designated Premises Supervisor

Mr Dean Leonard Brand

Old Comical

15 St Johns Road

Sandown

Isle of Wight PO36 8ES

	Provision of Regulated Entertainment	Hours of Licensable Activities
(a)	Plays
(b)	Films
(c)	Indoor Sporting Events
(d)	Boxing or Wrestling
(e)	Live Music	Monday & Tuesday 11:00 -23:00 hours Wednesday 11:00 – 23:30 hours Thursday to Saturday 11:00 to 00:01 hours Sunday 12:00 – 23:30 hours
(f)	Recorded music	Monday & Tuesday 11:00 -23:00 hours Wednesday 11:00 – 23:30 hours Thursday to Saturday 11:00 to 00:01 hours Sunday 12:00 – 23:30 hours
(g)	Performances of Dance
(h)	Anything similar to (e) (f) (g) above
	Provision of Entertainment Facilities
(i)	Making music
(j)	Dancing
(k)	Entertainment similar to (i) & (j) above
	Late Night Refreshment
	Supply of Alcohol	Monday & Tuesday 11:00 -23:00 hours Wednesday 11:00 – 23:30 hours Thursday to Saturday 11:00 to 00:01 hours Sunday 12:00 – 23:30 hours
	Other Times Premises Proposed To Be Open To The Public	Monday & Tuesday 11:00 -23:30 hours Wednesday 11:00 – 23:30 hours Thursday to Saturday 11:00 to 00:30 hours Sunday 12:00 – 00:01 hours
	Non Standard Timings Applicable To All Activities-	Every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday for each May Bank Holiday, Spring/Whitsun Bank Holiday and every August Bank Holiday Weekend to extend the finish time by 1 hour. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday on Easter Bank Holiday Weekend to extend the finish time by 1 hour. Christmas Eve and Boxing Day to extend the finish time by 1 hour. An additional hour for Sandown carnival, Sandown Illuminated carnival and Sandown Regatta. An additional hour for 5 November (Bonfire Night)

Steps to Promote the Licensing Objectives

The Prevention of Crime & Disorder

· Illumination is provided to the exterior areas of the pub.

· All interior trading areas are visible to staff from behind the bar servery.

· Toilets checked regularly.

· The licensees/staff monitor customer behaviour especially during busy periods.

· Drug prevention measures are employed and signs displayed.

· Toilet access is clearly visible from the back bar.

· CCTV in place.

Public Safety

· Accident/incident book on site for staff and public.

· Maximum effort is placed on providing a smoke free environment with the use of extractors.

· All fire equipment is serviced regularly.

· Fire alarm in place.

The Prevention of Public Nuisance

· The pub is a detached property and which assists in minimising noise transfer to neighbours.

· The pub has a lobbied entrance which reduces noise emission.

· Public transport helps with the dispersal of customers.

· When required, staff organise taxis to transport customers home and customers are seen off the premises and encouraged to disperse after closing.

· There are no opening windows in the bar area and all entrance doors have internal lobbies.

· Customers are asked to leave quietly.

· A noise survey is carried out regularly especially when entertainment is being provided.

· Standard glasses are being phased out and replaced with toughened glasses.

The Protection of Children From Harm

· Unaccompanied children are not permitted on the premises.

· The outside area is completely enclosed and accessed through the lounge bar.

· The AWP’s and cigarette machine are in close proximity to the bar counter and therefore easily observed.

2. LOCATION AND SITE CHARACTERISTICS

The Old Comical is a detached public house situated in a residential area. The building comprises of two bars with tables and seating for customers. Each bar has a lobbied entrance to the outside. A garden and patio area is situated to the rear of the premises and also has tables and seating for customers.(Appendix 2)

3. RELEVANT REPRESENTATIONS

Responsible Authorities
Police	No outstanding representations
Environmental Health Officer (Appendix 3) Mr Gareth Davies Principal Environmental Health Practitioner Jubilee Stores The Quay Newport Isle of Wight PO30 2EH	Noise Nuisance: Recommendation: that prior to any public entertainment taking place after 23:00 hours, either a) a noise limiter shall be installed or b) a sound integrity report from a qualified acoustician be carried out and the recommendations acted upon. Recommendation: doors and windows to remain closed during public entertainment. Recommendation: internal communication procedure to be in place to receive and respond to noise complaints.
Fire Safety Officer	No outstanding representations
Planning Officer	No outstanding representations
Trading Standards Officer	No outstanding representations
Health & Safety	No outstanding representations
Children’s Services	No outstanding representations
Interested Parties
(Appendix 4)
Mr S. T. Deag 14a St Johns Road Sandown Isle of Wight PO36 8ER	The objector claims that the provision of live music may cause a noise nuisance as the location is residential and generally quiet.

4. LOCAL POLICY CONSIDERATIONS

It is considered that the following policies from the Council’s Licensing Authority’s Statement of Licensing Policy, 2004 to 2007 have a bearing upon the application.

Members’ attention in respect of this particular application is drawn to:

Clause 1	Licensing Objectives	All
Clause 2	Introduction
Clause 3	Integration of Strategies and Other Legislation	3.4 & 3.11
Clause 4	Approach to Licensing Applications	All
Clause 5	Cumulative Effect
Clause 6	Representation, Reviews and Appeals
Clause 7	Enforcement
Clause 8	Operating Schedules	8.1 8.2 8.3 to 8.9 8.13 to 8.20

5. NATIONAL GUIDANCE

National guidance regarding control of areas outside the premises is as follows:

3.11 The conditions attached to various authorisations will be focused on matters which are within the control of individual licensees and others in possession of relevant authorisations. Accordingly, these matters will centre on the premises being used for licensable activities and the vicinity of those premises. Whether or not incidents can be regarded as being “in the vicinity” of licensed premises is a question of fact and will depend on the particular circumstances of the case.

In addressing this matter, the licensing authority will primarily focus on the direct impact of the activities taking place at the licensed premises on members of public living, working or engaged in normal activity in the area concerned.

Licensing law is not the primary mechanism for the general control of nuisance and antisocial behaviour by individuals once they are away from the licensed premises and, therefore, beyond the direct control of the individual, club or business holding the licence, certificate or authorisation concerned. Nonetheless, it is a key aspect of such control and licensing law will always be part of a holistic approach to the management of the evening and night-time economy in town and city centres.

National guidance regarding licensing hours is as follows:

3.29 With regard to licensing hours consideration, which will be given to the individual merits of an application. The Government strongly recommends that Licensing Authorities should recognise that longer licensing hours with regard to the sale of alcohol are important to ensure that the concentrations of customers leaving premises simultaneously are avoided. This is necessary to reduce the friction at late night fast food outlets, taxi ranks and other sources of transport, which lead to disorder and disturbance. The Government also wants to ensure that licensing hours should not inhibit the development of thriving and safe evening and night-time local economies which are important for investment and employment locally and attractive to domestic and international tourists without compromising the ability to resource local services associated with the night-time economy. Providing consumers with greater choice and flexibility is an important consideration.

National guidance regarding non-duplication of other regimes is as follows:

3.51 Planning, building control and licensing regimes will be properly separated, to avoid duplication and inefficiency. Applications for premises licences for permanent commercial premises should normally be from businesses with planning consent for the property concerned. Licensing applications should not be a re-run of the planning application and should not cut across decisions taken by the local authority planning committee or following appeals against decisions taken by that committee. Similarly, the granting by the licensing committee of any variation of a licence which involves a material alteration to a building would not relieve the applicant of the need to apply for planning permission or building control where appropriate.

3.53 There should be a firm commitment to avoid duplication with other regulatory regimes so far as possible. Conditions in respect of public safety should only be attached to premises licences and club premises certificates that are “necessary” for the promotion of that licensing objective and if already provided for in other legislations, they cannot be considered necessary in the context of licensing law. Such regulations will not however always cover the unique circumstances that arise in connection with licensable activities, particularly regulated entertainment, at specific premises and tailored conditions may be necessary.

6. IMPLICATIONS UNDER THE HUMAN RIGHTS ACT 1998

Members are advised that this application must be considered against the background of the implications of the Human Rights Act 1998.

There are three convention rights, which need to be considered in this context:

(a) Article 6 Right to a Fair Trial –

In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge against him, everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law.

It has been held that the fact that there is a right of appeal to the Magistrates’ Court from any decision of the Licensing Authority is sufficient to make the Council’s licensing system compliant with the convention rights.

(b) Article 8 Right to Respect for Private and Family Life –

Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence. In the case of article 8 there shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except as such in accordance with the law and is necessary on a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic wellbeing of the country, for the prevention of disorder and crime, for the protection of health or morals or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

Every natural or legal person is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions. In the case of Article 1 of the first protocol it states that “no one shall be deprived of his possessions except in the public interest and subject to the conditions provided for by law and the general principles of international law. The preceding provisions (of which articles 6 and 8 are but two) shall not however in any way impair the right of the state to enforce such laws as it deems necessary to control the use of the property in accordance with general interest or to secure the payment of taxes or other contributions or penalties”.

Article 8 is relevant in this case, as the Licensing Sub-Committee must balance the rights of the applicant to run their business in the way they wish, with the rights of the neighbours not to be unreasonably disturbed.

A licence is viewed as a possession thus making Article 1 relevant in this case.

The Licensing Authority acknowledges the right of business in its area to operate, but equally acknowledges the fact that this must be balanced against the rights of residents not to be disturbed by unreasonable noise and nuisance caused by licensed premises. The Licensing Authority needs to be clear as to the rights granted and the need to ensure that the reasons given for any interference are proportionate and in accordance with the Council’s legitimate aim.

7. OBSERVATIONS

The Licensing Sub Committee is obliged to determine this application with a view to promoting the licensing objectives, which are:

· The prevention of crime and disorder

· Public safety

· The prevention of public nuisance

· The protection of children from harm

In making its decision, the Licensing Sub Committee is also obliged to have regard to national guidance and the Council’s own Licensing Policy.

Of course, the Licensing Sub Committee must also have regard to all of the representations made and the evidence it hears.

The Licensing Sub Committee must take such of the following steps as it considers necessary for the promotion of the licensing objectives:

i. Grant the application as asked.

ii. Modify the conditions of the licence by altering or omitting or adding to them.

iii. Reject the whole or part of the application.

The Licensing Sub Committee is asked to note that it may not modify the conditions or reject the whole or part of the application merely because it considers it desirable to do so. It must actually be necessary in order to promote the licensing objectives.

As to the objections raised:

The Prevention of Crime & Disorder

None raised

Prevention of Public Nuisance

The objector claims that the provision of live music may cause a noise nuisance as the location is residential and generally quiet.

The Principal Environmental Health Practitioner raises concerns that ambient noise is very lower after 23:00 hours and that there are properties within 30 metres of the applicant’s premise, which may be disturbed by amplified noise late at night.

Public Safety

None raised

Protection of Children From Harm

None raised

The Head of Consumer Protection’s opinion is that all matters can be dealt with by conditions and do not amount to sufficient grounds to refuse the variation outright.

Nonetheless it is a matter for the Licensing Sub Committee to determine in the light of the above matters and any other matters it considers material.

8. APPENDICES ATTACHED