Agenda and draft minutes

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Items
No. Item

359.

Emergency Evacuation Procedure

Visitors and members of the public who are unfamiliar with the building and procedures are advised that:

(a)      The fire alarm is a continuous loud ringing. In the event that a fire drill is planned during the meeting, the Chair will advise of this.

(b)      Exit routes are signposted, one directly to a fire escape at the end of the corridor, the other to the stairs opposite the lifts.

(c)      In the event of the alarm sounding, leave the building via the nearest safe exit and gather at the assembly point on the far side of the car park. Do not leave the assembly point or re-enter the building until advised to do so. Do not use the lifts.

(d)      Anyone unable to use the stairs should make themselves known during this agenda item.

 

 

Minutes:

As the meeting changed to a remote meeting, it was not necessary to read out the Emergency Evacuation Procedure.

360.

Notification of Chairman and Outline of Procedure

Minutes:

The Chair opened the meeting and asked those in attendance to introduce themselves and confirm they were aware of and had received a copy of the hearing procedure.  The Licensing Team Leader confirmed with those registered to speak that their representations were included in the Agenda.

361.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their families or friends.

 

The Chair will ask Members if they have any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) or disclosable non-pecuniary interests (DNPIs) to declare in respect of items on the agenda. Members with a DPI in an item must leave the room for that item and may not participate in the debate or vote. 

 

Aside from disclosable interests, where a fair-minded and informed observer would think there was a real possibility that a Member might be biased or predetermined on an item, the Member should declare this and leave the room while that item is considered.

 

Members who are in any doubt about interests, bias or predetermination should contact the monitoring officer for advice prior to the meeting.

 

Minutes:

No interests were declared.

362.

Application for a new Premises Licence pdf icon PDF 136 KB

To consider a new premises licence for The Little Blue Hut, South Street, Queenborough.

 

Tabled appendices VI and VII added 4.10.22.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Licensing Team Leader introduced the report which asked Members to consider the application for a new premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003 in respect of premises at The Little Blue Hut, Queenborough Harbour, South Street, Queenborough.  She referred to the details of the application as set out at paragraph 3.2 on page six of the Agenda and advised that within the 28-day consultation period, eight representations had been received from members of the public, as set out at Appendix V, and one from Kent Police who had requested conditions as set out in paragraph 4.2 on pages seven and eight of the Agenda.  The Licensing Team Leader drew attention to the tabled information at appendices VI and VII.

 

The applicants spoke in support of the application, advising that the premises had tables and chairs outside when they took over the premises in June 2022, and was popular with families.  They explained that previously the premises was not operating very successfully but they had turned it around and had been using Temporary Event Notices over the summer without any issue.

 

The applicants said that the Little Blue Hut was not intended to be a public house but a place to be enjoyed with limited food and alcohol choice, and it supported the regular market.  They explained that they had carefully considered the representations but the anti-social behaviour referred to had nothing to do with their operation.

 

Members asked questions and raised points which included:

 

·         How regularly were the market days held, and how many additional days was the licence required for?;

·         what type of alcohol would be available?; and

·         more detail on toilet facilities.

 

In response, the applicants advised that markets were held weekly on Saturdays, but regularity would be trialled throughout the winter. They said that only small bottles of wine and small mixed cans of cocktails, bottled beers and cider would be served and they confirmed that there was a portaloo in addition to the toilets at the site, located in the yard area. There was some discussion on the area the licence would cover and in response to a further question from a member, the applicants explained that bottled beers would be decanted into plastic glasses.

 

Interested parties were then invited to speak.

 

Queenborough and Halfway Ward Councillor Simon Fowle said he had no objection to the facility or alcohol being served during market hours, but live music events were too loud and disturbed to residents.  He said that customers were not using the portaloo facilities provided and at recent public meetings, residents had raised concern over anti-social activities.  In response, the applicants said that anti-social activities had occurred in the area for a long time and were not the fault of the Little Blue Hut, and they were happy to speak to residents to put their mind at rest.

 

Mrs St. John-Knight spoke in support of the Queenborough area which she said was up-and-coming, and added that although the Little Blue Hut was a welcome  ...  view the full minutes text for item 362.

Appendix - Decision Notice pdf icon PDF 2 MB

363.

Adjournment of Meeting

Minutes:

The meeting was adjourned from 10.43 am until 12.10 pm for the Sub-committee to make their decision.