Agenda and minutes

          Resolved – That Councillor Mick Bray Chair this meeting of the Panel.

(Councillor Bray took the Chair.)

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 23^rd June and 14^th July 2015.

          Resolved – That the minutes of the meetings held on 23^rd June and 14^th July 2015 be confirmed and signed.

The Panel considered (a) a report of the Council’s Licensing Manager setting out details of an application to vary the Premises Licence in respect of the Old Town Bowl, The Quarries, Old Town, Swindon SN1 4EN, (b) written representations from Ms S Austen (local resident) opposing the application, (c) written representations from the applicant supporting the application for a Premises Licence, (d) oral submissions supporting the application, (e) questions from Members to the applicants and answers received, and (f) the Council’s procedure for licensing hearings, the Secretary of State’s Guidance and the Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy.

          The Council’s Licensing Officer introduced the report noting:

·       The application to vary the Premises Licence before Members was one of six licences operating at the venue.

·       The variation sought an increase from one to four events per year at the venue.

·       The variation sought to remove condition 9 of Annexe 2 of the licence (this referred to noise levels and time of operation).

·       The variation of hours from a finishing time of 20:00 hours to 21:00 was not a matter for consideration at the hearing.  This part of the application for a variation had been granted under delegated authority as no representations had been made opposing it.

·       The only relevant representation in respect of the variation was appended at page 51 of the agenda papers pack.

·       An alternative condition in respect of noise nuisance had been offered by the applicants for consideration.

·       Although noise complaints had been received in respect of events at the Old Town Bowl there were none involving events organised by the applicants at this venue.

·       Noise levels were monitored and controlled by the applicants at the event last year.

          The written submission opposing the application can be broadly summarised as follows:

·       That the sound limit restriction at the nearest noise sensitive house should not be removed.

·       Noise, at nearby properties, even with windows and doors closed can suffer unacceptable noise levels arising from events at the Old Town Bowl.

          The oral submission in support of the application can be broadly summarised as follows:

·       The Reggie garden event was started and remained a family event and an event for the local community.

·       The event has been running for three years.

·       The decibel levels attached to the Premises Licence were lower than other events held at the Old Town Bowl and the organisers felt that this restriction didn’t allow them to offer the most satisfactory experience as possible to those attending.

·       That when the events were held at the Arts Centre there were four per year with a decibel level of 65dB(LAeq)  which had not caused problems for local residents.

·       The 65dB(LAeq) level sought was in accordance with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Noise Council Code of Practice on Environmental Noise at Concerts.

·       The organisers were keen to avoid any undue impact on local residents and had changed the design for the covering area to cover 30 metres and had lowered the sound system by 1½  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.