Agenda item

To consider the report of the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory, seeking consideration of a Temporary Event Notice for Premier Banqueting, Stoney Rock Lane, Burmantofts, Leeds, LS9 7TZ.

This was a late item added to the agenda as Item 8.

The report of the Chief Officer Elections and Regulatory advised the Licensing Sub Committee of a Temporary Event Notice for Premier Banqueting Suite Stoney Rock Lane, Burmantofts, Leeds.LS9 7TZ.

In attendance for the hearing were:

·  Elizabeth Hebbert – Environmental Protection Team

·  Merita Kasa – Proposed premises user

·  Olsi Kasa – Proposed premises user’s Husband

The Legal Officer set out the procedure for the hearing.

The Licensing Officer presented the application providing the following information:

·  Members were advised that a temporary event notice had been received and that Leeds City Council’s Environmental Protection Team had served an objection notice on the grounds of public nuisance.

·  The proposed premises user was Merita Kasa and a copy of the temporary event notice was attached to the submitted report at Appendix A.

·  The temporary event notice was for:

o  Sale of alcohol

o  Provision of late night refreshment

o  Regulated entertainment

o  From 20:00 hours on Sunday 1^st January 2023 to 01:00 on Monday 2^nd January 2023.

·  A map showing the location of the premises was appended to the report at Appendix B.

·  Members were advised that there was no premises licence in force for these premises.

·  West Yorkshire Police and LCC Environmental Protection Team had each received a copy of the notice. Environmental Protection Team considered that allowing the premises to be used in the manner set out in the temporary event notice would undermine the prevention of public nuisance licensing objective and issued an objection notice, this was appended to the submitted report at Appendix C.

The Environmental Protection Officer explained that the premises had a long history of complaints over the past 10 years. The first complaint this year had been in January 2022. The Officer said that she had been working on complaints in relation to the premises since April 2022.

The owner of the premises had been provided with advice in relation to reducing noise nuisance and had been served a noise abatement notice on 27^th July 2022.This had been served in relation to:

·  Playing of loud music

·  Noise of patrons on entering and exiting the premises.

·  Car horns and vehicle engines idling.

Work had been undertaken with the venue and there were signs of gradual improvements. During discussions with a manager in Environmental Protection it has been suggested that as part of the terms and conditions for the venue that music should be turned off at 11pm.

There were concerns in relation to this event as the finish time was requested as 01:00am, there was a request for live music and there would be approximately 300 people attending the event. Environmental Protection were concerned that complaints would be received from residents who live close by in relation to noise from patrons leaving the premises, noise of vehicles and of loud music.

The Officer informed the Sub Committee that noise recording equipment had been used at the premises for previous events due to complaints received.

The Officer said she had spoken to the owners of Premier Banqueting Suite and to Mrs Kasa the day before to explain the concerns and request that the event finished at 11pm.

Mr Kasa addressed the Sub Committee explaining that for the last 10 years his wife Mrs Kasa had been organising family events in London with his security firm providing security for the events. The events are well organised and there has never been a problem with them in London. The events are for families and there is no shouting or drunken behaviour.

Mr Kasa informed the Members that he had run his security company since 2006 and would be providing the security for this event.

It was clarified that although this is applied for as a New Years Eve event it would be taking place on 1^st of January 2023, New Year’s Day.

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

·  The Officer said they were happy for the event to run until 11pm. She explained that 11pm until 7am was the time when most people were relaxing or sleeping, during these hours noise issues can be intrusive and impact on people’s sleep. She was of the view that a terminal hour of midnight was still late and people leaving the venue at this time would impact on people living close by.

·  Mr Kasa said his security team would be at the event throughout the night and would be in control of patrons leaving the premises, so as not to disturb residents, they would be on duty in the venue, the car park and the street.

·  Mr Kasa explained that he was looking to expand his business from London and had chosen Leeds. Previous events had been held in London, these were family events with children attending and there had been no issues. He said that they were holding an event in London on 31^st December, in London, there had been no objection from that council. This was the first time he had decided to have an event in Leeds, if he had done more research, he would not have selected this venue.

·  Mr Kasa said that this was a ticketed family event with people coming from Derby, Birmingham and Leeds. There would be a sit-down meal and live music. Two performers would be playing house music each performing for one hour, starting at 9pm and finishing at 11pm.

·  Mr Kasa said that his wife organises 3 events a year in London which include Mother’s Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, all are family events.

The Officer in summing up highlighted the proximity of residents to the venue and the work that had already taken place with the venue to restrict noise disturbance. The concern was that music and alcohol would mean a lively event which could cause noise nuisance. It was noted that previously there had been an issue with bass music causing noise disturbance for residents.

Members considered all the information presented to them and their discussions included the timing of the event and the need for better terms and conditions from the venue in relation to the terminal hour for events.

The Legal Officer had provided advice to Members who had wished to impose a terminal hour of midnight. The advice was legislation in relation to Temporary Event Notices, which was that the Sub Committee were unable to alter the hours or, in the absence of a premises licence,  to add conditions for Temporary Event Notices.

RESOLVED – To grant the Temporary Event Notice as applied for. The Sub Committee requested feedback from Environmental Protect Team on the event.

The meeting concluded at 13:07