Agenda and draft minutes

The Licensing Panel considered the appointment of a Chairman for the meeting.

Resolved: That Councillor Hunter be appointed Chairman for the meeting.

Members are asked to declare any interests in the items under consideration and in doing so state:-

(1) the type of interest concerned

(2) the nature of the interest concerned; and

(3) whether they have or have not sat on a Planning Committee which has previously considered a planning application in respect of a licensed premises which is also subject to consideration for a premises licence as part of the agenda for this meeting.

If any Member requires advice on declarations of interests, they are advised to contact the Head of Democratic Governance in advance of the meeting.

(Members are asked to also pay particular attention to the guidance sheet on interests supplied with the agenda).

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

The Chairman of the Panel will summarise the procedure and announce the equal maximum amount of time for each party to speak for the hearing.

A.         Items 1 and 4 (b) will be undertaken in private session by the Panel and not in the Meeting Room.

B.         Items 2, 3 and 4(a) will be recommended to the Panel to be held in public.

C.         The Panel may decide to exclude the public from all or part of a hearing where it considers that the public interest in so doing outweighs the public interest in the hearing, or that part of the hearing, taking place in public. (This includes a party and any person assisting or representing a party)

The Chairman explained the procedure for the meeting, including the order in which the applicant and representations would be heard and that the decision of the Panel would be communicated to the relevant parties within five working days.

To consider an application in respect of a new Premises Licence for 253 Fleetwood Road, Blackpool, FY5 1NJ.

A. Application and representations submitted. To consider the attached report.

B. Determination of the application for a new Premises Licence – 253 Fleetwood Road.

The Licensing Panel will indicate how the decision is to be communicated to interested parties.

The Licensing Panel considered an application from Mr Salvatore Fodera for a new Premises Licence at 253 Fleetwood Road, Blackpool, FY5 1NJ. Representations had been received from Norbreck ward Councillors Mrs Maxine Callow and Julie Sloman.

Mr Fodera appeared before the Panel accompanied by his legal representative Mr Geoff Ormrod who presented the case on his behalf. The application was to licence a purpose built storage area, which had yet to be constructed, to the rear of Mr Fodera’s residential property from which deliveries of Italian delicatessen items would take place, including alcohol.

A similar application had been made last year and refused by a Licensing Panel in October 2021 but Mr Ormrod accepted on that occasion that the application had been premature, with insufficient plans being provided for the Panel’s consideration who had expressed concern about the security of the proposed storage arrangements. Members’ attentions were drawn to the professionally drawn plans that had now been submitted with the new application and Mr Ormrod explained that the proposed construction would provide secure storage with CCTV coverage and that the only access would be from the front of the building via the property’s driveway.

The Panel was reminded that no objections had been received from any of the Responsible Authorities and Mr Ormrod confirmed that no members of the public would attend the premises to purchase goods or collect orders, nor would there be any signage on display outside the property. Assurances were given that only pre-ordered goods would be delivered and that alcohol would not be available for same-day delivery.

Answering questions, Mr Fodera explained that the business would be promoted online via social media and through leafleting in the local area. In response to concerns about noise from deliveries taking place until 10pm, it was explained that the intention was generally not to operate until that time and that only one or two delivery runs would be undertaken per day. If however the business proved successful a larger premises would be sought to operate from. Mr Ormrod referred to the busy parade of shops nearby and concluded that the proposed business would not adversely impact upon the licensing objectives and therefore invited the Panel to grant the application.

Councillor Mrs Maxine Callow addressed the Panel and referred to the previous decision to refuse the application. In her opinion the new application still did not provide assurance as to the security of the alcohol storage area as the extension had yet to be granted planning permission and concerns were raised about the storage of the alcohol prior to the unit being constructed. Referring to other businesses in the area, Councillor Mrs Callow explained that they had been purpose built as commercial premises and expressed her concerns about the impact on residents of alcohol deliveries from a domestic property in an area she considered primarily residential.

Councillor Sloman requested that the Panel considered the impact on local residents and explained that both she and Councillor Mrs Callow represented their ward  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.