Agenda item

            The Building Control Manager informed the Committee that, under the provisions of the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, it was required, when considering any application for the grant, renewal or transfer of an Entertainments Licence, to have regard to any convictions of the applicant relating to an offence under the Order which had occurred within a five-year period immediately preceding the date in which the application had been made.

            With that in mind, he drew the Members’ attention to applications which had been received for the renewal of a Seven-Day Annual Indoor Entertainments Licence for the Glenowen Inn, 108 Glen Road and for Seven-day Annual Indoor and Outdoor Entertainments Licences for T13, Queen’s Road. 

            He reported that the licensee of the Glenowen Inn had, on 24th May, 2016, been fined £600 and ordered to pay £66 in costs, following an inspection by Council officers whilst entertainment had been taking place, which had found that a rear exit had been blocked by combustible material, the alleyway leading from the rear exit had been partially blocked by a vehicle, several fire safety signs had not been illuminated and the premises’ log book had not been completed.

            He reported further that the licensee of T13 had, on 7th May, 2013, been convicted of failing to provide the required notice, to submit an Event Management Plan and to agree the maximum occupancy figure for an event involving children and to make available the premises’ log book for inspection. On 21st June, 2016, he had been convicted also of providing entertainment beyond the time permitted on the premises’ Entertainments Licence. The licensee had been fined in total £300 and instructed to pay combined costs of £181 as a result of those convictions.

            The Building Control Manager explained that this was the first time that the application for the Glenowen Inn had been placed before the Committee, as it had been renewed previously under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation. In terms of T13, he pointed out that the Committee had, in January 2014, upon being advised of the applicant’s first conviction, agreed to renew the Entertainments Licence and that it had, in September, 2015, having been informed that a further prosecution was pending, renewed the Indoor Entertainments Licence and granted an Outdoor Entertainments Licence.

            He informed the Members that, following those offences, officers had met with each licensee in order to review their management procedures and had discussed with them the arrangements in place for ensuring the safety of patrons, performers and staff, particularly in the event of an emergency. Subsequent inspections, which had been undertaken in relation to the current applications, had confirmed that the management procedures within each venue were now being implemented effectively. He added that no written representations had been received in relation to the applications and that the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and the Police Service of Northern Ireland had offered no objections.

            The Committee agreed, in its capacity as Licensing Authority, to renew the Seven-Day Annual Indoor Entertainments Licence in respect of the Glenowen Inn, 108 Glen Road and the Seven-Day Annual Indoor and Outdoor Entertainments Licences for T13,Queen’s Road.