Agenda item

The report of the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory sets out an application for the grant of a premises licence, made by Roielle Morris, for Eden Supermarket 207 Dewsbury Road, Leeds, LS11 5HZ.

The report of the Chief Officer (Elections and Regulatory) presented an application for the grant of a premises licence, made by Roielle Morris, for Eden Supermarket 207 Dewsbury Road, Leeds, LS11 5HZ.

Supplementary information was published on the Council’s website and distributed prior to the meeting. The information related to agreements reached with West Yorkshire Police.

The following were in attendance for this item:

·  Roielle Morris, Applicant and proposed DPS

·  Joanna Onisiforou, Irwin Mitchell Solicitors – Applicant’s Representative

·  Saman Fakhri – Leaseholder

·  Bruce Davies – Objector

The Legal Adviser to the Sub-Committee outlined the procedure to be followed, and the Licensing Officer presented the application.

The proposed licensable activities are sale by retail of alcohol (for consumption off the premises) every day 09:00 until 23:00 and the proposed opening times are 09:00 until 23:00.

The application has attracted representations from other persons and responsible authorities which remain a matter for consideration.

A representation has been received from West Yorkshire Police in their capacity as a responsible authority. Further to negotiations, the operating schedule has been amended to include suggestions from the police. They have therefore withdrawn their representation.

Representations have also been received from two individual letters of objection, including one from a ward councillor and the other from a member of the public which oppose the application on the grounds of public nuisance.

The applicant’s representative addressed the Sub-Committee and provided the following information:

·  The applicant has more than 12 years’ experience in retail and hospitality and has lived in Middleton. The applicant has been a bar manager, shop manager and has held a personal licence since she has been 18 years of age. The applicant has also completed a course for her SIA badge, as well as health and safety training and first aid training.

·  The premises is not located in a Cumulative Impact Assessment area.

·  The applicant is offering something different to traditional off-licences and is the only premises in the area offering Uranian food products.

·  The hours applied for is until 11pm and there are various outlets nearby with the same and/or later opening hours. There are staggered hours in the area which is supported in licensing policy.

·  The applicant has offered a range of conditions, and some agreed in liaison with the police.

·  Objections from residents relate to nuisance caused by street drinkers and anti-social behaviour related issues. There is a nearby street bench used by street drinkers and existing issues are not associated with the applicant.

·  The operator is not responsible for the issues that already exist in the local area, and she has confirmed she is willing to comply with all the conditions she has offered.

·  The applicant is wanting to set-up a legitimate business and she will not be serving to street drinkers.

·  There has been a new alarm system fitted and new CCTV installed.

·  There are measures in place for recycling and general waste.

A local resident attended the meeting as an objector to the application, and informed the Sub-Committee of the following:

·  The resident has lived in Leeds for 23 years and 20 of them in the street he resides in.

·  There has been an increase in anti-social behaviour related issues since the closure of the police station nearby and there have been issues with people urinating in residents’ gardens and speeding issues.

·  There has been a lack of help from the police and local authority in dealing with a range of issues and a large amount of time has been spent cleaning the street from the local resident.

·  There is a high level of alcohol dependent people in the area.

·  The bench on the corner used by street drinkers is always covered in litter and the addition of another premises with a premise licence will only add to existing issues that exist in the local area.

·  The resident is dealing with a constant battle to ensure that the street is not covered in litter.

·  There is a sense of dread in the community if another premises selling alcohol comes into the community.

In summarising, the applicant’s representative explained that the applicant is willing to work with the local community and she also lives in the local area. The applicant is not looking to add to the cumulative impact. The applicant is considered a responsible operator and seeking to run a legitimate business. The clientele the applicant is wanting to attract is aimed at the sale of Uranian food products and the applicant does not want to encourage any street drinkers. It was suggested to re-locate the bench attracting street drinkers and this is something the objector could possibly work with the police on.

At this point in the meeting, the Sub-Committee moved into private session to deliberate on the application.

RESOLVED – To grant the licence as applied for, subject to the inclusion of the additional measures in the operating schedule, as agreed with West Yorkshire Police.