Agenda and minutes

To elect a Councillor from the Sub-Committee to act as Chair for the meeting

Councillor Mike Chalk was elected to act as chair for the meeting.

The Chair welcomed the Committee members, officers, applicant and other parties to the virtual Licensing Sub-Committee meeting being held via Microsoft Teams.  The Chair explained that the meeting was being live streamed on the Council’s YouTube channel to enable members of the public to observe the committee.

There were no apologies for absence.

To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and / or Other Disclosable Interest they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests.

Councillor Mike Chalk declared an other disclosable interest in that one of the representatives of the applicant, Mr Dave Wheeler, was known to him as a former employee of Redditch Borough Council.

Councillor Mark Shurmer also declared an other disclosable interest in that he knew Mr Dave Wheeler in his capacity as a former employee of the Council and in relation to a past sporting connection.

Having made the declarations in the interests of transparency, both Members participated fully in the debate and decision making on the application.

The Sub-Committee were asked to consider an application for a variation of the Premises Licence in respect of the clubhouse at Pitcheroak Golf Course, Plymouth Road, Redditch, B97 4PB.

The application had been made by Rubicon Leisure Limited who had taken over the running of the golf course from Redditch Borough Council in February 2020. 

The application had been referred for a hearing before the Sub-Committee in light of representations received from local residents who had raised concerns about the potential for noise disturbance and crime and disorder under the amended hours.  Mr Anthony Barnfield, one of the three persons who had made representations in objection, had attended the hearing in order to address the Sub-Committee.  The other parties present on behalf of the Applicant, were Mr Paul Hawkes who managed the golf course and Mr Dave Wheeler from Rubicon Leisure.

The Licensing Technical Officer, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) introduced the report and in doing so explained that under the existing licence the following licensable activities were authorised: -

Sale of Alcohol

Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 23:00

Sundays 12:00 to 23:00

Members were referred to the existing licence attached at Appendix 2 of the report.

It was explained that the Applicant was seeking to amend the hours for the sale of alcohol so that the same standard hours of 08:00 to 23:00 would apply every day.

The application also included permission to use live and recorded music every day from 08.00 to 23:30.  However, under the Live Music Act 2012 venues which held a licence for the sale of alcohol were automatically permitted to carry out live and recorded between the hours of 8:00 and 23:00.  Therefore, in relation to live and recorded music, Members could only consider the additional half an hour every day from 23:00 to 23:30.

Members were referred to the additional hours of sale of alcohol sought broken down to specific days as set out at paragraph 2.6 of the report.

It was noted that the Application had been publicised in accordance with the statutory requirements, and that no representations had been made from any of the Responsible Authorities.

Six representations had been received from local residents, three in objection and three in support, and Members were referred to these documents at Appendix 3 of the report.

At the invitation of the Chair, Mr Paul Hawkes, the manager of the golf course, addressed the Sub-Committee in support of the application.

By way of background Mr Hawkes explained that Pitcheroak Golf Course had in 2020 passed to the ownership and control of the newly formed Rubicon Leisure limited.  Although Rubicon Leisure as a company was owned by the Council, in terms of operational control, the day to day running and management of the golf course was the responsibility of the company.

Mr Hawkes explained that the intentions behind the variation application were not to make any significant changes to the current use and trading hours of the club house, and he wanted to reassure residents on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.