Agenda item

To consider a report by the Chief Officer Elections and Regulatory which sets out details of an Application which seeks the Grant of a Premises Licence for the Caribbean Cricket Club, Scott Hall Road, Leeds, LS7 2HH.

(Report attached)

The report of the Chief Officer Elections and Regulatory set out an application for the grant of a premises licence, made by The Caribbean Cricket Club, for the Caribbean Cricket Club, Scott Hall Road, Leeds, LS7 2HH.

The Licensing Officer presented the application providing the Members with the following information:

• The application was to authorise the sale by retail of alcohol, late night refreshment and the performance of recorded music.
• Following receipt of the application discussions had taken place between the applicant and Leeds City Council Environmental Heath Team, resulting in a reduction to the terminal hour of each proposed licensable activity. The amended hours were noted at paragraph 3.3 of the submitted report. An email from the Environmental Health Team was attached to the report at Appendix B.
• Representations had been received from West Yorkshire Police and a local resident. An agreement had been reached with West Yorkshire Police incorporating suggested measures into the operating schedule. The additional measures were appended to the report at Appendix D
• A representation from a local resident remained outstanding for the Licensing Sub Committee’s consideration. The resident was not present at the meeting. However, this representation was appended to the submitted report at Appendix E and expressed concerns in relation to noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour.
• This was the first application for a premises licence for these premises, although it was noted that this site benefitted from a Club Premises Certificate granted during the Licensing Act 2003 transitional period in 2005. The hours of the Club Premises Certificate are:
•   Supply of alcohol

Monday to Saturday 11:00 - 23:00

Sunday 12:00 - 22:30

·  Performance of live music

Monday to Saturday 11:00 - 23:00

Sunday 12:00 - 22:30

·  Performance of recorded music

Monday to Saturday 11:00 - 23:00

Sunday 12:00 - 22:30

·  Performance of dance

Monday to Saturday 11:00 - 23:00

Sunday 12:00 - 22:30

·  Entertainment similar to live music, recorded music or dance

Monday to Saturday 11:00 - 23:00

Sunday 12:00 - 22:30

Since the agreement with Environmental Health Team the following operating times had been agreed:

·  Sale by retail of alcohol (for consumption on the premises only)

Sunday to Friday 12:00 - 23:00

Saturday 12:00 - 00:00

·  Provision of late night refreshment

Saturday 23:00 - 00:00

·  Performance of recorded music

Sunday to Friday 12:00 - 23:00

Saturday 12:00 - 00:30

·  Entertainment similar to live music, recorded music or dance

Monday to Sunday 12:00 - 23:00

·  Further details: Amplified equipment used to operate a karaoke

system.

·  Hours that the premises will be open to the public

Sunday to Friday 08:00 - 23:30

Saturday 08:00 - 00:30

·  Non-Standard Timings

Bank Holidays: From the end of the terminal hours until 02:00 hours; and Christmas and New Year’s Eve: From the end of the terminal hours until 02:00 hours.

Present at the meeting were:

·  Harwood Williams – Applicant

·  Reginald Hamilton – Club Secretary

·  Larry Gumbs – Designated Premises Supervisor

·  Hannah Kent – A local resident and patron of the Club, and also an Environmental Protection Officer but not with Leeds City Council.

Mr Williams informed the Licensing Sub Committee of the following points:

• The Caribbean Cricket Club was set up in the 1980’s.
• There have been no concerns or issues of anti-social behaviour raised by the Police.
• The members of the club are on the older side.
• The purpose for requesting this licence was to open up the club to the wider community to host more events.
• It had been difficult to increase the membership of the club and would allow other functions to take place at the club. Members were advised that the annual rent for the premises had increased.
• Conversations had been held with residents, who did not seem to share the same views as the objector.
• The exit takes members in the opposite direction to the fences that are mentioned in the objector’s representation.
• Cricket is played at the club from April to September. However, it was difficult to make the club work through the winter months.
• The club hosts other Caribbean cricket clubs, some travelling from London, but this was only once or twice a year and not until 4:00am as mentioned by the objector.
• The club have been willing to work with the Police and the Environmental Protection Team and agreed to additional measures suggested and reduced opening times.
• Schools use the club facilities and the community use the club for functions. However, at present it is difficult due to the restrictions for Covid.
• The club wants to provide a wider experience for the community and from other parts of the country.
• The club hosts community coffee mornings with invites sent to the wider community.
• The club try to ensure that there is no anti-social behaviour.

At the Chair’s invitation Ms Kent provided the following information:

·  The aim of the club was to bring together a number of other clubs so that they could use the facilities for cricket and other activities.

·  The club currently has to request Temporary Event Notices (TEN’s). No complaints had been raised when the club has used TEN’s.

·  The cricket club faces into undulating land and it was the view of Ms Kent that the anti-social behaviour was in a public area and nothing to do with the club.

·  It was noted that the club has toilets and a bottle bank which is collected. The allegation of anti-social behaviour against the club was unfounded and they had not been made aware of any complaints. The club was not consistently requesting to open until 2:00am. She was of the opinion that the club would not become an unruly premises.

·    The football team also host events and guests are expected to pay for these tournaments.

·  She was of the view that extending the licence by 90 minutes would not cause any issues. The club have methods of curbing anti-social behaviour with CCTV and advice from Environmental Protection Team on hosting late night events.

Responding to questions from Members the Licensing Sub Committee were provided with the following information:

• The extra 30 minutes for recorded music after drinking up was for cleaning and setting up for the game the following day and would be used as background music.
• The club is run on a volunteer basis.
• There would be a phased leaving by customers until 00:30am, the applicant said that half of the members leave when drinks have stopped being served. He said that the club had already compromised on the 2:00am terminal hour. However, the club would compromise more to be granted a licence.
• The applicant advised the Members that he had been there since 1982, in that time no issues had been raised.
• The Community Coffee mornings were a chance for the community to raise any issues that they had with the club. It was noted that some residents attended the club with family members. They were of the view that the club had a good relationship with its neighbours.
• The cameras used by the club for security provided a panoramic view and could be used to enhance security in the local area.

Member’s discussions included the following points:

• Transitional arrangements of the Club Premises Certificate.
• Use of background music whilst cleaning up
• The revised hours agreed with the Environmental Protection Team

RESOLVED – To grant the premises licence subject to the following alteration to the operating schedule:

The performance of recorded music is permitted as follows:

Sunday to Friday 12:00 - 23:00

Saturday 12:00 - 00:00

The meeting concluded at 11:05