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

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

The Hearing Panel considered the written papers, oral representations of all parties as well as the relevant legislation and guidance.

The applicant’s agent addressed the Hearing Panel and stated that this was a relatively new premises, having had their licence granted in August 2020 under easing of Coronavirus lockdown restrictions. The agent stated that the application was requesting the business to trade until 02:00 and added that there had been no objections from responsible authorities but two objections had been received, one from a local resident and another from a Local Ward Councillor. The objections were regarding concerns around noise and queueing and parking and how these may affect a nearby pedestrian crossing. The agent expressed that other nearby premises had later licences and stated that the location was in the city centre and not a residential area. The agent assured the Hearing Panel that the application submitted was in line with the licensing objectives but added that the applicant was willing to go further and make checks of noise emanation in the outside area after 23:00 and also have staff monitor the queue to ensure that this was not interfering with the pedestrian crossing. The agent felt that the parking issue was out of the applicant’s control but was prepared to accept a condition to monitor this, should the Hearing Panel feel it necessary.

A Local Ward Councillor stated that they had concerns around the location as an entry and exit point for the city centre, adding that there had been reports of parking issues and an objection from a local resident concerning potential for noise disturbance from the venue. The Ward Councillor stated that they had three main conditions they were seeking agreements for; the direction of queueing to be towards Deansgate, for staff to check for noise levels outside the premises and for staff to make checks on parking outside the venue.

During their deliberations the Hearing Panel took regard of the Local Ward Councillors three conditions and felt that they could add the two regarding the queue direction and noise levels but could not add a condition whereby staff would monitor and assist with parking issues. The Hearing Panel felt that it was satisfactory to grant the licence as applied for with the addition of the above two conditions raised by the Ward Councillor.

Decision

To grant the licence subject to the following conditions:

1. For the premises to monitor sound levels outside of the premises after 23:00 at the nearest residential premises in both directions towards Salford and Deansgate. Records of monitoring and action to be kept for 6 months and made available upon request to an authorised officer of Manchester City Council or a police officer.
2. For the premises to ensure that queueing outside the venue would be positioned towards Deansgate