Agenda item

To receive an Application for the grant of a premises licence for Wok And Go 44A Woodhouse Lane, Woodhouse, Leeds, LS2 8LX.

The report of the Head of Licensing and Registration presented an application for the grant of a premises licence at Wog & Go, 44A Woodhouse Lane, Leeds.

The application was for the supply of late night refreshment from 23.00 hours until 02.00 hours on Sunday to Thursday and from 23.00 hours until 03.30 hours Friday to Sunday.

It was reported that the premises were situated within a Cumulative Impact Area (Red Zone) and the application had therefore attracted representations from West Yorkshire Police and Leeds City Council Entertainment Licensing as responsible authorities.

The applicant’s representative addressed the sub-committee and gave reasons why they felt the application should be granted.  These included the following:

·  The applicant operated a number of stores under the Wok and Go franchise across Leeds and the rest of the country.  Some of these sold alcohol and there had not been any incidents of disorder occurring elsewhere.

·  The premises had operated in the current location for over two years and since the opening of the arena there had been an impact on the profitability of the store.

·  Advertising of the application had not brought about any objections other than those from responsible authorities.

·  The applicant had agreed to meet all necessary security arrangements including CCTV, door supervisors and the radio link network.

·  Temporary event notices had been held at the premises without incident.

·  The applicant did not want to attract customers from nearby drinking establishments but provide an extra option to passing customers from the arena.

·  Due to the opening of other food outlets it was increasingly difficult to sustain the business and it had been running at a loss for the previous six months.

A West Yorkshire Police representative addressed the sub-committee with objections to the application.  These included the following:

·  The licensing objectives did not take account of the financial circumstances of a premises.

·  The premises were situated in a Cumulative Impact Area where there were a significant number of other licensed premises immediately nearby.  The saturation of premises in the area caused difficulties when offences occurred.

·  The area suffered from alcohol related crimes and this increased where premises operated in peak hours.  Late night refreshment premises such as this acted as beacons for people under the influence of alcohol to remain in the area.

The sub-committee also heard from a representative of the Licensing Authority and further reference was made to crime and disorder in the area.  The premises had previously had an extended licence but it was not felt that this application demonstrated any exceptional circumstances in order for it to be granted.

The Committee carefully considered the application and the objections.  However the premises are located in the Red Zone of a Cumulative Impact Area.  The Committee noted that the Cumulative Impact Policy creates a rebuttable presumption of refusal for an application of this type.  The operator in this instance was unable to convince the Panel that the application was exceptional. 

RESOLVED – That the application be refused.