Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that Councillor C Thomas be appointed Chair for the hearing.

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

Members are asked to consider whether to exclude the press and public for item 4  - Application for Review of a Premises Licence as the matter relates to information  required to be kept private in accordance with Paragraph 7, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended. The grounds for privacy are that the matter may relate to any action taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime. The public interest in maintaining the exemption under Schedule 12A outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED that, the Sub-Committee agrees to exclude the press and public under Sections 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 relating to the private report in Minute 4 below headed “Licensing Act 2003 - Application for Review of a Premises Licence” as the matter relates to information required to be kept private in accordance with Paragraph 7, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended. The grounds for privacy are that the matter may relate to any action taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime. The public interest in maintaining the exemption under Schedule 12A outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

To consider an application for the review of a Premises Licence in respect of The Oak Inn, 119 Gosford Street, Coventry, CV1 5DL

Note: The applicant and their representative have been invited to attend the

  hearing.

  Persons who have made representations have been invited to attend.

The City Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy is available on the Council’s website. Alternatively, please contact us if you require a hard copy.

The Sub-Committee considered an application to review the Premises Licence in respect of the Oak Inn, 119 Gosford Street, Coventry (“The Oak Inn” which was received on 27 September 2021. The application, submitted by West Midlands Police, requested the removal of the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) and a suspension of the Premises Licence for up to three months following an alleged serious sexual assault that took place at the premises on Saturday 4^th September 2021.

West Midlands Police submitted that the Licensing Objectives of Protection of Public Safety and Prevention of Crime and Disorder had been undermined. Two representations were received during the review application process. One representation was received from John Gaunt Solicitors on behalf of Marston’s Plc, and the other had been received from Public Health in support of the review application on the grounds that the Licensing Objectives of the Protection of Public Safety and the Prevention of Public Nuisance had been undermined, owing to the level of intervention required to contain a COVID-19 outbreak amongst staff at the premises during the heigh of the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2021.

The Sub-Committee’s statutory duty was to consider the application and any representations and to take such steps as contained in the Licensing Act 2003 as considered appropriate for the promotion of the Licensing Objectives.

Further to an application submitted by West Midlands Police, which received support from all interested parties to the hearing, the Sub-Committee considered whether to exclude the press and public from the hearing as the matter related to information required to be kept private in accordance with Paragraph 7, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended.

The grounds for privacy were that the matter may relate to any action taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime, and the public interest in maintaining the exemption under Schedule 12A outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED that the Sub-Committee having considered the report and the representations made at the meeting, revoked the Premises Licence in respect of The Oak Inn, 119 Gosford Street, Coventry.

To consider any other items of business which the Chair decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no other items of business.