Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all those in attendance and introductions were made.  The Chair reminded those present that the meeting was being recorded and would be made available following the meeting via the Council’s website – Click Here to View

There were no apologies for absence received.

There were no declarations of interest made at the beginning or during the course of the meeting.

The Legal Advisor to the Sub Committee outlined the procedure for the meeting, including the order of representations and the opportunities for all parties to ask questions. 

Mr Lee Morgan (Licensing Manager) presented the report and outlined the application submitted for the variation of a premises licence located at Valley Tavern, 15 High Street, Fleur de Lys, Blackwood, NP12 3UD

Members were advised that the application sought to vary the premises licence for the establishment by revising the plan of the property that is included on the current premises licence.  The previous café area has been converted into one large bar area and the front entrance to the property has also changed. The opening times of the premises will be 08.00am to serve food but there will be no change to alcohol hours before 11.00am.  The current premises licence permits the sale of alcohol, exhibition of film, live and recorded music, performance of dance, late night refreshment and boxing/wrestling entertainment.

An updated plan of the premises was provided as part of the application and attached to the report at Appendix 2.  A number of steps had also been volunteered by the applicant as part of the Operating Schedule as per the existing licence, to promote the Licensing Objectives, and a redacted copy of the existing licence was included at Appendix 3.

During the consultation process, the Local Health Board, Environmental Health (Pollution Team), Child Protection Officer, Licensing Authority in their role as Responsible Authority and Police all responded to indicate they had no representations, objections or proposed conditions in respect of the application. 

Representations were also received from two local residents in objection to the variation application with full details appended to the Officer’s report.   One local resident had written to the Licensing Department to state that she would not be attending the subsequent hearing but asked for the other local resident (Mr Gough) to speak on her behalf.

Attention was drawn to the local policy considerations as set out in the report and to the way in which the Sub-Committee would deal with the application.  Members were referred to the recommendation set out in the Licensing Manager’s report, which recommended that given the nature of the variation application, and in the absence of any concerns to the application from Responsible Authorities, the variation of the premises licence be approved.

All parties present were afforded the opportunity to ask questions of the Licensing Manager.  Mr Gough (Local Resident) made reference to the installation of air conditioning on site that had been mentioned by the applicant at the previous Sub Committee hearing, and in referring to windows being opened at the premises in Summer 2020, asked if this matter had since been resolved.

Mr Morgan confirmed that the conditions of licence requires windows and doors to be kept closed and summarised these to the Sub Committee, although it was noted that this condition should not prejudice the minimum ventilation levels required for health and safety.  Mr Gareth Morris added that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.