Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED – That Councillor C Townsley be elected as Chair for the meeting.

There were no late items.  Supplementary information submitted by the applicant regarding the application to vary a Casino Premises Licence at Grosvenor Casino, Westgate Bridge, Leeds had been published and distributed prior to the meeting.

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration regarding an application for a variation of a casino premises licence under the Gambling Act 2005 for Grosvenor Casino, Westgate Bridge, LS3 1LW

The report of the Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration presented an application for the variation of a Casino Premises Licence under the Gambling Act 2005 for Grosvenor Casino, Westgate Bridge, Leeds, LS3 1LW.

Members attended the premises for a site visit prior to the meeting.

The application sought to create a second casino within the premises at Westgate Bridge and also provide an outdoor smoking area.  In effect this would be the transfer of a current Casino Premises licence from premises at Merrion Way.

The application had received a representation from the Licensing Authority which raised concern that the following licensing objective would be undermined:

·  Protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

This was due to the opinion that proposed partition walls and access points separating unlicensed areas from the casino were inadequate for the purpose of preventing an impression that the unlicensed area formed part of the casino and could result in those customers visiting the bar/refreshment area drifting into the gambling area.

The applicant’s representative addressed the Sub-Committee regarding the application.  Issues highlighted included the following:

·  The applicant sought to re-locate the licence due to the expiry of the lease at the Merrion Way premises.  Reference was made to the ability of an operator to move their licences to new sites within an existing local authority area by way of a variation application.

·  The second licence would be located on the first floor of the premises at Westgate Bridge with the inclusion of a new smoking terrace.

·  In relation to the non-licensed areas of the premises, reference was made to Gambling Commission guidance and mandatory conditions which applied to access and entrance areas.

·  The current proposals had been devised following visits by Licensing Officers.  Members’ attention was brought to the proposed layout of the two casinos including the unlicensed areas and smoking areas.  Each casino would have its own smoking area and there would not be access to drift between the two casinos from the smoking areas.

·  Details of partitioning between the non-licensed areas and casino areas were explained.  In areas without full partition walls, it was proposed to have solid partition barriers to a height of 1100mm with obscured/opaque glass on top, giving a total height of 1500mm. There was a preference for clear glass as this would assist with safety and security along with the prevention of harm to children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling. Photographs displaying examples of partitioning at other premises operated by the applicant were referred to.

·  Further to a suggestion by the Licensing Authority that a height of 2000mm would be satisfactory, it was reported by the Applicant that due to differences in floor levels the actual height of the proposed partitions would be 1800mm.  To install partitions of a greater height could possibly mean structural alterations.

·  With regard to meeting the objective of protecting children from harm, it was felt that the proposals were more than adequate for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.