Agenda item

To consider a report of the Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration setting out an application for the grant of a premises licence

(report attached)

  The Licensing Sub-Committee considered an application made by Mr Antonious Demetriou for the grant of a premises licence for the Greek Community Hall, The Greek Orthodox Church, Harehills Avenue LS8.  The application had been adjourned at the hearing on 13^th October 2015, for discussions to take place between the applicant and local residents who had made representations to the application.  The hearing had been relisted for 24^th November 2015, to enable the same Members to consider the application

  Attending the meeting were:

  Mr Antonious Demetriou – proposed licence holder

  Dr Hadjicharitou – Chair of the Greek Orthodox Church Committee

  Mr Naslas – Greek Consul

  Mr Godon – representing two of the local residents who had submitted objections and who had given their permission for Mr Godon to represent them at the hearing

  Members were informed by the Principal Licensing Officer that agreements had been reached with the Council’s Environmental Protection Team (EPT), with the hours now being sought in the application for the sale by retail of alcohol and live music 17:00 – 23.00 every day.  This reduction in hours for licensable activities meant that the requirement for late night refreshment was removed

  If the Sub-Committee granted the application, as amended, the conditions suggested by the EPT would form part of the licence

  Members heard from Mr Demetriou who explained that the premises had been operating for over 40 years.  For events which required bar facilities, the organisation would apply for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN).  As these were costly, the decision had been taken to apply for a premises licence

  Meetings would often take place in the premises in the afternoon and a licence would enable people attending to enjoy a drink.  Occasionally weddings would take place at the premises where a bar was also required

  Members were informed that as the Greek Orthodox Church was the only one in Yorkshire, people travelled there by car; they would behave responsibly and not cause noise and disturbance to residents.  In the past there had been requests made to use the premises by other groups and following one letting, an incident did take place where noise nuisance occurred and the police were called

  A reduction in the hours being sought for licensable activities, to 23.00 had been agreed with the EPT, which was felt to be better for local residents

  West Yorkshire Police had requested that CCTV be installed which would be done and that the organisation would provide greater management of the premises, especially when events were taking place

  In response to a question from the Sub-Committee, Members were informed that measures to prevent any entertainment noise breaking out through the ceiling of the function room would be undertaken and that long-term proposals were to create a classroom in this area which would further mitigate any noise

  Mr Demetriou confirmed that at the request of the Licensing Sub-Committee at its meeting on 13^th September 2015, discussions had taken place with local residents where it was explained that the application was not to enable the premises to be let out, but for it to be used as the applicants wished, for the use of the Greek community and to enable the small number of annual events it held at the premises

  The Licensing Sub-Committee then heard from Mr Godon who was representing two of the local residents who had submitted representations to the application

  Mr Godon advised that despite the discussions which had taken place between the applicant and local residents and the agreement to restrict events at the premises to 6 per year, concerns remained, particularly relating to assurances around the number of events which would be taking place and the hours of these

  Concerns relating to noise and disturbance were also referred to as were highway issues, particularly around inappropriate parking and the lack of a positive response to these concerns from some of those attending the church and the hall.  The Chair reminded the applicant that his responsibilities under the licensing objectives extended to patrons leaving the premises

  The Licensing Sub-Committee carefully considered the verbal representations from Mr Demetriou and Mr Godon, together with the written representations from local residents and Ward Members and noted that the licensable hours being sought in the application had been amended to be for the sale by retail of alcohol and live music 17:00 – 23.00 every day.  Members welcomed the agreements which had been reached with the EPT and noted that this objection had been withdrawn.  In view of this Members considered that these measures would overcome the concerns raised by local residents and were hopeful that in the operation of the 6 events per year agreed to by the applicant requiring a TEN, the same conditions would apply as were on the licence

  RESOLVED -  To grant the application, as amended