Agenda and minutes

The Committee met to consider an application to vary the premises licence at Rui’s 85-87 Victoria Road Widnes

 

The applicant Stephen De Cruz was represented by June Clarke of JMC Licensing Consultants.  The Police who made representation to the application were  represented by Ian Seville Police Licensing Officer.

 

An application had been made to extend the hours for regulated entertainment and the supply of alcohol by 30 minutes on each day (to 03.30 up from 03.00).  The application also included an extension for the premises to be open to the public by 30 minutes (to 04.00 up from 03.30).  The categories of regulated entertainment were F – Recorded Music I – Making Music and J – Dancing.

 

The application also contained requests to remove and vary a number of conditions.  Since no representations had been made in respect of these matters those conditions had been removed and varied prior to the hearing and did not form part of the hearing.

 

At the hearing June Clarke called Stephen De Cruz and Andre Robinson (head doorman at the premises) to give evidence.

 

Ian Seville called Chief Inspector Martin Cleworth to give evidence.  Chief Inspector Cleworth produced statistical information relating to crime and disorder in the Widnes Town Centre Area.  

 

The procedure to be followed was explained and the parties put their cases in accordance with it. The Committee asked a number of questions of the parties and retired to consider the matter.

 

Resolved: That having considered the application in accordance with section 4 Licensing Act 2003 and all other relevant considerations (including but not limited to those set out in Section 35 of the Licensing Act 2003) the Committee decided that the application be rejected.

 

The reason for the determination was that the Committee felt that granting the application would lead to more crime and disorder and consequently have a detrimental effect on the Licensing Objective of the Prevention of Crime and Disorder.  The evidence provided by the Police on this matter was accepted by the Committee. Neither the applicant nor the Police provided information to the Committee which might have lead to modifying the conditions of the licence or rejecting the application in part.