Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chair for the Licensing (Hearings) Sub-Committee meeting.

The Sub-Committee unanimously agreed that Councillor Julian Freeman be appointed as Chair of the meeting.

To receive declarations of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or other registrable or non-registrable interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

No declarations of any interests were made by Members in respect of any items to be considered at the meeting.

Members are requested to determine an application for a premises licence where the authority has received relevant representations.

Mk   The Sub-Committee received a report to determine an application for a premises licence where the licensing authority had received relevant representations.

The Principal Licensing Officer introduced the report. Within his introduction, he stated the following:

a)            He stated that, in response to a query from a Member, a summary of nearby off-licences had been provided to Members, as it was considered relevant information in order to provide a general picture of the number of licensed premises in the area and their operating hours, due to objections being raised in respect of cumulative impact. He stated that the information was also thought relevant due to one of the objectors being a premise license holder on the list. In light of this information, he pressed that each application must be considered on its own merits and that the only consideration that should be given to an application is the promotion of the licensing objectives, and no account should be taken of other establishments’ licensing hours or conditions.

b)            He stated that any decision made by the Sub-Committee may be appealed in the courts.

The Sub-Committee invited the Applicant and Objectors to ask questions of the Principal Licensing Officer. Neither the Applicant nor the Objectors had any questions to ask of the Principal Licensing Officer at this time. The Sub-Committee had no questions to ask of the Principal Licensing Officer at this time.

The Sub-Committee invited the Applicant to make an opening submission. The Applicant’s representative (Licence Consultant) provided an opening submission on behalf of the Applicant:

a)            He stated that the Friday and Saturday hours applied for were the same as those granted to two other off-licences on Epsom high street.

b)            He stated that the premises at 31 High Street was small, at c.54m², and, along with alcohol, would sell other goods such as vapes, phone accessories, and various convenience items. He stated that the alcohol on the shop floor would be kept behind and directly opposite the sales counter, in full view of counter staff.

c)            He stated that a number of robust conditions had been offered as part of the application within the operating schedule.

d)            He stated that the two other representatives of the Applicant present at the meeting – the Sales Manager and Company Director – had been operating a vape shop in the town for over a year and, though the shop in question did not sell alcohol, they were already experienced retailers.

e)            He addressed the written representations provided by objectors:

                      i.        He stated that within the written objections there were claims there was no need for another off-licence in town – he stated that ‘need’, however, was not a relevant consideration for licensing.

                    ii.        He stated that within the written objections there were claims that another off-licence in town would have a negative cumulative impact – he stated that Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, however, did not currently have a Cumulative Impact Policy in place.

                   iii.        He stated that two of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.