Agenda item

a. APPLICATION AND REPRESENTATIONS SUBMITTED. To consider the attached report

b. DETERMINATION OF THE APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE- Abingdon News

c. ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DECISION FOR THE TRANSFER OF A PREMISES LICENCE- Abingdon News

The Licensing Panel considered an application for a new Premises Licence in respect of Abingdon News, Unit 13 Abingdon Market from Mr Santosh Puthusseri. The application requested permission to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises between the hours of 8.30am and 5.00pm daily. It was noted that the premises had previously held a licence that had been revoked

The Panel was reminded by Mrs Sharon Davies, Head of Licensing Service, that the premises were located within Talbot Ward which if one of four wards that form the off-licence saturation policy. The effect of the policy was to create a rebuttal presumption against the granting of further licences in this area.

Mr Santosh Puthusseri, the applicant, was in attendance and made representations in support of his application. He emphasised that he was in no way connected to the previous operator of the premises and would seek to uphold the Licensing Objectives.

PC Lisa Evans was in attendance and made representations on behalf of Lancashire Constabulary. She highlighted the Police’s objection to the licence, their concerns that Mr Puthusseri was an inexperienced operator proposing to take over a high risk premises and that the applicant had failed to provide details of how the premises would be operated to avoid adding to the cumulative impact already experienced in the area.

Mr Mark Marshall was in attendance and spoke as the representative of both the Licensing Authority and Public Health. He highlighted both authorities concern about the high numbers of off- licensed premises within Talbot Ward and the related high levels of crime and disorder within that ward. He further explained that the Licensing Authority had particular concerns that Mr Puthusseri had no experience working within Blackpool and had not approached the Licensing Authority to discuss how to address the particular problems in this locality. He also highlighted that the market would be undertaking renovation works in the future which might cause amendments to the premises and expressed concern about Mr Puthusseri lack of knowledge about this potential issue. In response to a question by the Panel, Mr Marshall however did confirm that he was satisfied that the previous Licence Holders, Mr and Mrs Gandhi, were no longer involved in the operation of the premises.

Mr Steven Ash was in attendance and spoke on behalf of Weights and Measures. He emphasised the concerns of the other responsible authorities regarding the application given the combination of the previous history of premises, its location within the cumulative impact zone and Mr Puthusseri lack of experience as a licence holder.

The Panel considered carefully the evidence submitted by all parties. It considered that given the premises location, Mr Puthusseri lack of experience running a licensed premises and the lack of proposed suitable conditions to mitigate the problems already experienced in the area that the applicant had not rebutted the presumption against the granting of further licences. The licence application was therefore refused.

Resolved:

That the application for a Premises Licence for Abingdon News, Unit 13 Abingdon Market be refused.