Agenda item

To consider the report of the Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration on an application for the grant of a premises licence, made by Mr Gurnek Singh, for Papa Johns, 2 The Becketts, 605 Meanwood Road, Meanwood, Leeds, LS6 4AY

(Report attached)

The Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration submitted a report for an application for the grant of a premises licence for Papa Johns, 2 The Becketts, 605 Meanwood Road, Meanwood, Leeds, LS6 4AY.

The application was made by Mr Gurnek Singh for a late night refreshment licence between 23:00 and 01:00 Sunday to Thursday and 23:00 and 03:00 Friday and Saturday.

The application had received a representation from Environmental Health Team as a responsible authority and the Licensing Authority were also in receipt of letters from Ward Councillors and residents.

Mr Singh was in attendance at the hearing along with Mr Dhawan of the Papa John Management Team.

Mr Singh informed Members that Papa John’s had a number of takeaways some of which opened until 04:30am or 05:30am. 

He told the Sub-Committee that he employed full and part-time staff from the area. He said that staff did litter pick around the premises and that it was the policy of Papa John’s to have a notice in the customer area asking customers to leave the premises quietly.

Mr Singh informed Members that there had been planning issues with the previous owner. However, he had only taken over the premises three months previously.

Members heard from the Environmental Health Officer in attendance at the hearing that there were residential flats nearby and above the premises known as The Becketts.

The Officer informed the Sub-Committee that there were other licensed premises in the area namely Zucco and East of Arcadia who had licences until midnight Monday to Saturday and to 10:30pm (midnight in the case of East of Arcadia) on Sunday.

The Officer listed the issues for concern should the premises be given a late night refreshment licence as:

·  Noise from customers arriving by car or taxi

·  Eating outside the premises as there was no seating

·  Noise of car stereos

·  Lack of parking

·  Noise of people from outside the area

The Officer explained that there was no enforcement action could be taken for noise on the surrounding streets action could only be taken in respect of the curtilage of the premises.

He said that the noise of the extraction fan would be heightened in the early hours of the morning and would be exacerbated still more during warm periods of weather in the summertime when residents would need to open windows. He also was of the view that should the late refreshment licence be given then more requests would be received from other premises in the area.

Cllr. Susan Bentley a ward councillor for the area attended the hearing and informed the Members that the Ward Councillors could not give their support to the application for the following reasons:

·  The site of the premises is located on a particularly difficult junction where there are shunts on a regular basis

·  There is limited parking in the area

·  Double yellow lines have been painted outside the premises to prevent parking on the junction

·  The area is made up of mixed uses with houses in multiple occupation, flats, restaurants which close at a reasonable time, café bars and short let shops.

·  There are a number of outlets in the area which sell alcohol

·  Papa John’s will attract people from outside the area

·  Litter bins are already overflowing with the Locality Teams having to be called out on a regular basis this would increase with more litter if open longer.

·  Planning application had been restricted to 11:00am to 11:00pm Monday to Sunday including Bank Holidays.

·  More young families were moving into the area taking over some of the houses previously used as houses in multiple occupation

Mr Bond a resident at The Becketts was also at the hearing and informed Members of issues already occurring due to the premises being used as a takeaway. He said that he had spoken to the manager as staff often used his driveway to park or parked across the driveway. He also said that staff used a smoking area that was underneath his bedroom window leaving cigarette butts and keeping him awake with their conversations.

Mr Bond also had concerns about the amount of litter informing Members that residents had to pick up takeaway boxes and wrappers.

In response Mr Singh said that they had received no complaints from Environmental Health with regards to noise or litter. He said that bikes were used for deliveries as they were much quieter than cars and his managers had not reported any complaints to him.

Mr Dhawan informed Members that staff now had a designated area at the front of the premises for smoking breaks.

RESOLVED – That the Licensing Sub-Committee considered all the information from all parties and in light of the information provided refused the application for late night refreshment.