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

The Hearing Panel considered a report from the Head of Planning, Building Control and Licensing concerning

The applicant Mr Clive Szmit, Director of Didsbury Sports Ground represented himself. Also in attendance were PC Alan Isherwood (Greater Manchester Police).

The Chair conducted the hearing in accordance with the agreed procedure.

The Hearing Panel heard that objections had been received from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Manchester Council Licensing and Out of Hours Compliance Team (LOOH) to the granting of the TEN for an event to be held on 27 July 28 July 2024.

The focus of the event is for people to visit the premises and watch live podcasts from all around the site. The event is for up to 499 guests but not for the total 15-hour event as there are set acts on at different times that people would be coming to see.

As regards toilet facilities, the premises indicated that there would be five toilets in the main building as well as twenty more in the changing room blocks.

The outside noise will end at 10pm with the stages outside moving to a silent style performance from the acts in which all the guests will receive headsets to listen to the acts. It was further stated that the event was not proposed to be a loud event with music but rather people listening to live podcasts of comedy.

The Premises advised that they had a car park and that it was their intention to provide spaces for as many as forty cars and if it was so desired look to rent a nearby field to cater for additional parking.

The Premises produced correspondence from nearby residents demonstrating that they supported the event.

The Committee expressed concerns about congestion in the area from too many vehicles attending the area and when this issue was explored further the Applicant

stated that the car park area could cater for as many as eighty cars. Committee felt that this was reassuring.

In addition, Committee was concerned about the Terminal hour of the event and the nuisance that would be caused by customers leaving the site in early hours. It was stressed that trams stopped running before the event was due to close and felt that it would be appropriate to warn customers about the lack of public transport available at such time.

GMP addressed the Committee and stated that since they had submitted the Application, they had discussed the event further with the organisers and the premises and felt more confident now that the premises would be capable of managing the event without undermining the Licensing Objectives.

Furthermore, GMP indicated that their main concern had been the inevitable traffic congestion that would arise if the TENs was granted but such concern had been alleviated by the premises confirming that they could cater for parking for up to eighty vehicles carrying customers.

Taking into account GMP’s representations and considering what steps could be taken to alleviate the Committee’s concerns the Committee decided to grant the Application subject to the above.

In arriving at its decision, the Committee considered the licensing objectives, Licensing Act 2003, s182 guidance and its own Licensing Policy

Decision

1.    To refuse the application for a Temporary Event Notice for an event at the Didsbury Sports Ground, Ford Lane, Manchester, M20 2RU, from 24 to 26 May 2024.

2.    That a Counter Notice be served to the application.