To consider any items which the Chair has agreed to have submitted as urgent.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing regarding an application for a Premises Licence Variation.

The Hearing Panel were informed via the report and oral submission from the premises representative that McColl’s was a local and national operator and this variation sought to match the daily opening hours commencing at 06:00 in line with other stores nationwide, although it was conceded that the premises being considered at the hearing commenced business at 07:00.

The Hearing Panel was informed that the premises operate as a regular convenience store serving the local community and that the application was made to accommodate people who carried out their general shopping at all times of the day.

The Hearing Panel were further informed by the Area Manager in attendance that it would assist in the prevention of any confrontation with the staff when the store was open but unable to sell alcohol and therefore felt that this constituted an added safeguard.

GMP had made representations on the basis that the Licensing Objectives concerning the Prevention of Crime and Disorder, Public Nuisance and Public Safety would be undermined.

Licensing Out of Hours objected to the application on the basis that allowing the store to operate with an earlier alcohol licence would be likely to increase public nuisance and there was already evidence of anti-social behaviour in the area.

The applicant and their appointed representative confirmed that there had been one minor incident of crime related to the sale of alcohol at the store which GMP confirmed they were aware of.

The Hearing Panel, when considering all the information obtained during the hearing, determined that an alcohol licence commencing daily at 06:00 was not necessary for a store that opened daily at 07:00 and further noted that the store currently operated with an alcohol licence commencing daily at 08:00. The Hearing Panel agreed the sale of alcohol daily from 07:00.

Decision

To grant the variation to the Premises Licence as follows:

Sale of Alcohol (off premises):           07:00 to 23:00 Monday to Sunday

Removal of Seasonal variations.

Remove all conditions under Annex 2 and replace with the up to date conditions listed at Appendix 9 of the report submitted.

The report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing is enclosed.