Agenda, decisions and minutes

Licensing Sub Committee - Wednesday 15th January, 2025 6.15 pm

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic, 1 Saxon Gate East, Milton Keynes, MK9 3EJ

Contact: Jane Crighton 

Items
No. Item

23.

Disclosures of Interest

Councillors to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests, other registerable interests, or non-registerable interests (including other pecuniary interests) they may have in the business to be transacted, and officers to declare any interests they may have in any contract to be considered.

Minutes:

None disclosed.

24.

Objection against an Application for a Temporary Event Notice - Rhodes Lounge, Cambridge Street, Bletchley pdf icon PDF 63 KB

To consider Item 5.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Senior Licensing Officer advised the Sub-Committee that a hearing had been necessary to determine an Objection Notice from Thames Valley Police in relation to a Temporary Event Notice under Section 105(2) of the Licensing Act 2003 given by Ms Rhoda Akowuah, the premises user, for an event to take place on Saturday 18 January 2025 at Rhodees Restaurant and Lounge, 2a Cambridge Street, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK2 2TP, for a period of four hours, commencing at 23:00 hours to 03:00 hours, Sunday 19 January 2025.

The application had been to seek the following licensable activities:

(a)        Supply of Alcohol

            23:00 hours to 03:00 hours.

(b)       Late Night Refreshments

            23:00 hours to 03:00 hours.

(c)        Regulated Entertainment

            23:00 hours to 03:00 hours.

The premises user informed the Sub-Committee she had recently leased the restaurant in December 2024 and the Temporary Event Notice would be to promote the business.  They had applied to be the Designated Premises Supervisor on the Premises Licence and an application had been submitted for a Personal Licence, which had not yet been granted.

The previous owner of the premises would be in attendance as the Personal Licence Holder for the event.

The event would be advertised locally, and patrons would not be required to purchase a ticket beforehand.  The intended maximum number of people at the event was 80, and a risk assessment had been undertaken by Sentinel, the hired security company, and, as a result, three doormen would be employed for the duration of the event.

G McCormack (Thames Valley Police as a Responsible Authority) informed the Sub-Committee of her concerns, in particular whether the premises had been a residential dwelling; the hours applied for; the nature of the event; the security arrangements; an adequate risk assessment; the premises user did not hold a Personal Licence which indicated they had not had experience in running late night venues; and the event would undermine the Licensing Objectives ‘The Prevention of Crime and Disorder’ and ‘The Prevention of Public Nuisance’.

The Applicant had subsequently agreed modifications to the Notice:

(a)        Supply of Alcohol

            23:00 hours to 01:00 hours.

(b)       Late Night Refreshments

            23:00 hours to 01:00 hours.

(c)        Regulated Entertainment

            23:00 hours to 02:00 hours.

which had alleviated the concerns raised by Thames Valley Police.

The Sub-Committee recognised the premises user had understood the concerns raised by the Police and wished her every success.

RESOLVED -

The Sub-Committee resolved to not serve a Counter Notice to uphold the objection, and considered a modified Temporary Event Notice as follows:

1.         Supply of Alcohol

            23:00 hours to 01:00 hours.

2.         Late Night Refreshments

            23:00 hours to 01:00 hours.

3.         Regulated Entertainment

            23:00 hours to 02:00 hours.

4.         However, in doing so the Sub-Committee encouraged the premises user to ensure that the premises close no later than 02:30 hours to take account of nearby local residents.  Further, the Sub-Committee imposed the following conditions from the allied premises licence to the modified Notice:      

2.2       There shall be a notice at all  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.