Agenda item

The Building Control Manager reminded the Committee that Custom House Square was managed currently by the Department for Communities and that it held both a Seven-Day Annual Outdoor Entertainments Licence and a Seven-Day Annual Marquee Entertainments Licence, which were transferred to promoters for the duration of theirevents. Each licence permitted entertainment to take place from Monday to Sunday between the hours of 11.30 a.m. and 11.00 p.m. and had conditions attached in relation to occupancy levels, early consultation with residents and businesses, extended hours and addressing complaints. The Committee had, in the past, granted approval for a number of events to operate beyond 11.00 p.m. within the venue, such as the Belfast Craft Beer Festival and the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, both of which had been permitted to provide entertainment till midnight on a number of nights. 

He reported that an application had been received from the organisers of the Belfast City Blues Festival seeking approval to have the standard hours on the Seven-day Annual Marquee Entertainments Licence for Custom House Square extended to enable entertainment to take place till midnight on Friday 23rd, Saturday 24th and Sunday 25thJune. The event, which was now in its ninth year, had, in 2016, been accommodated within a marquee in Writers’ Square, for which approval had been obtained from the Committee to operate till midnight on three nights. However, the organisers had been unable to book that venue for this year and had selected Custom House Square as an alternative.    

            He explained that the festival was intended to celebrate the musical heritage of the City and that, whilst the programme of entertainment for this year had yet to be finalised, it would include over forty-five live performances by local and international blues artists, music workshops and archive footage of local music artists. The organisers had requested that the Committee give consideration to permitting entertainment to run until midnight on all three nights of the festival in order to enable patrons to maximise their musical experience and avail of the wide range of local restaurants and other establishments. 

            The Building Control Manager pointed out that, since the application related to the extension of the hours permitted under an existing licence condition, rather than the variation of the Entertainments Licence itself, there had been no requirement for it to be advertised. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and the Police Service of Northern Ireland had offered no objections to the application, however, they would be attending pre-event meetings to comment upon public safety, traffic management, transport and wider operational issues. He added that the Building Control Service was working closely with the organisers to ensure that the requisite documentation was submitted and that an appropriate letter would be issued to local residents providing details of the festival. In terms of noise issues, he indicated that officers would be liaising with the Council’s Environmental Protection Unit and the organisers to ensure that an effective noise management plan was put in place to avoid undue disturbance to local residents and businesses. He concluded by pointing out that officers had undertaken inspections of previous Belfast City Blues Festivals and had identified no issues around health, safety or welfare management.  

            The Committee agreed, in its capacity as Licensing Authority, that the standard hours on the Seven-day Annual Marquee Entertainments Licence for Custom House Square be extended to enable entertainment to take place till midnight on Friday 23rd, Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th June, as part of the Belfast City Blues Festival, subject to all technical requirements being met to the satisfaction of Council officers.