Agenda and draft minutes

To appoint a Chairman for the meeting.

Councillor P. Smith chaired the meeting.

Report of the Licenisng Officer considering the application for a variation of the premises licence at 11-13 The Arcade, Hatfield, AL10 0JY.

Introduction and Procedure

The purpose of the meeting was to consider an application for variation of the premises licence in place at Point One African Restaurant, 11-13 The Arcade, Hatfield, AL10 0JY. The variation application sough to extend the premises opening hours to the public Thursday – Saturday to 13:00 – 03:30, Sale of alcohol Thursday - Saturday 13:00 - 03:30 on the premises, Late night refreshment Thursday - Saturday 23:00 - 03:30 indoors only and recorded music Thursday - Saturday 13:00-03:30 indoors only.

The Licence Hearing was convened as a result of the Licensing Authority receiving formal written relevant representations from Hertfordshire Police and the council’s Environmental Health team within the 28-day consultation period. The representations to the application were submitted under the Licensing Act 2003 on the statutory grounds of:

·       Prevention of crime and disorder

·       Prevention of public nuisance

Documentary Evidence

The report of the Licensing Officer, the variation application and supporting documents, along with written representations from the relevant authorities had been previously circulated.

Report of the Licensing Officer

The Licensing Officer presented the report, explaining that the representation received from the police was on the grounds of prevention of crime and disorder as well as prevention of public nuisance, whereas the representation from the council’s Environmental Health team was solely on the grounds of prevention of public nuisance.

The officer explained that the representation from Environmental Health was seeking for conditions to be added to the variation; stressing though that if subsequent complaints were received the team would be looking to call the licence in for review.

Hertfordshire Public Health had also responded to the variation during the consultation period and three conditions had been agreed with the applicant which would be added to the premises licence should the variation be agreed. These conditions are:

·       The licensee and staff will ask persons who appear to be under the age of 25 for ID.

·       All staff will be trained for underage sales prevention.

·       A register of refused sales shall be kept and maintained on the premises

The officer explained to the hearing the choices available to the panel:

·       To grant the variation of the licence as proposed.

·       To modify the conditions of the licence by altering or omitting or adding to them (and for this purpose the conditions of the licence are modified if any of them is altered or omitted or any new condition is added).

·       To exclude any of the licensable activities to which the application relates.

·       To refuse to specify a person in the licence as the designated premises supervisor.

·       To reject the whole of the application or part of it. 

The Applicant

The applicant’s representative, Mr Biodun Odunlami, spoke on his behalf.

He explained that the current licence was granted nearly four years ago and there have been no issues at the premises in the time period since then. He confirmed that the premises operates as a restaurant and the business prides itself on providing good service, good food and a good  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.