Report by Licensing Officer (attached).

Also Present:  Mr Andrew Richards (Designated Premises Supervisor, (DPS)), Mr John Dunkley (Solicitor of DPS), Mr Nigel Angrave (Person who had made a representation), Inspector Andrew Wills (Devon and Cornwall Police), Paul Butler (Devon and Cornwall Police) and Sergeant Dave Curtis (Devon and Cornwall Police).

The Chair introduced himself and invited everyone present to introduce themselves.

The Legal Officer outlined the hearing process.

The Licensing Officer outlined his report.  The Fire Authority had submitted a representation but were unable to attend the hearing.  The premises is situated in the centre of Barnstaple where there was a mixture of residential and other business properties.  The Licensing Officer made clear that the offences listed at paragraphs 4.41, 4.4.2 and 4.4.3, related to Public Health and which currently was not a Licensing Objective.  The relevant Licensing Objectives were listed at paragraph 5.1.  The Fire Service had been in attendance at an unrelated incident in Boutport Street when they observed several intoxicated persons outside the premises which led them to have concerns over safe evacuation of the premises in the event of an emergency.  The relevant statutory guidance considerations issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003, and published by the Home Office, April 2018 were listed at paragraph 7.4.

The DPS’s Solicitor outlined his case and gave the Members the following points:

·         The premises had been licensed for the last 17 years.  The club was next door to the Horse and Groom Pub and outside the premises was a fairly wide pavement.  Other licensed pubs nearby were listed as The Panniers, Marshalls, Lush further down Boutport Street and when open the Rising Sun opposite.  The pavement was a very busy thoroughfare and not used solely by the clientele of Rumours. 

·         During the months of Lockdown 2 other premises in the area were not operating

·         In May 2020 when restrictions were lifted and activities were resumed the police saw a spike in their logs this could be due to the increase in customers to the premises as nowhere else had reopened

·         The problems that had occurred in May early June had been resolved.  A new CCTV system had been purchased and installed and was subsequently found to be of inferior quality so had been further upgraded

·         At 2pm today a Safety Inspection was due to be carried out by the Fire Service

·         The alarm system had been fully reviewed and was due to be reviewed again in November 2021

·         SIA door staff were provided with counter clickers and had always been used

·         They planned to join in on the town management radio link up system

·         There was a clear policy of no drinks/bottles to be taken outside but the clientele had found inventive ways to take drinks outside

·         Incident log reporting did happen and all staff were now trained and a document detailing the training that had been undertaken would also be kept

·         Any young person who looks to be under 25 was asked for identification

·         Any incidents involving customers whereby a ban was given this ban was for life

·         New clientele had started to frequent the club but they weren’t the type of clientele the club wanted there and so were banned and could no longer gain access to the premises

·         Being a premises in the centre of town there will always likely be issues that won’t go away

Mr Angrave had nothing further to add to the letter he had submitted (circulated previously).