Agenda item

            The Committee was advised that an application had been received for the transfer and variation of a Seven-day Annual Entertainments Licence in respect of the above-mentioned premises. The Head of Building Control reported that the premises were licensed currently to provide entertainment from Monday to Saturday till 1.00 a.m. and on a Sunday till midnight, with solo acts and small live bands performing on a Friday and Saturday night. The applicant was seeking to operate till 3.00 a.m. on those nights, which would enable him to cater for visitors to the City and to compete with other venues which provided entertainment beyond 1.00 a.m.

            The Head of Building Control confirmed that no written representations had been received in respect of the application and that the Police Service of Northern Ireland had not objected. However, it had suggested that, should the Committee be minded to grant the variation, it should consider attaching to the Entertainments Licence conditions requiring the licensee to employ only Security Industry Authority registered door supervisors, install a suitable closed circuit television system and use non-glass containers when the venue was operating beyond 12.30 a.m. He added that Building Control officers had conducted two inspections of the premises whilst entertainment had been taking place, one of which had uncovered a minor issue which had been addressed promptly by the licensee. Overall, the Service was satisfied that all operational and management procedures were being implemented effectively. The Council’s Environmental Protection Unit had confirmed that it had received no complaints regarding the venue.

            It was reported that Chief Inspector G. Moran was in attendance in order to provide clarification around the conditions which the Police Service of Northern Ireland had suggested be attached to the Entertainments Licence and he was admitted to the meeting.

            Chief Inspector Moran outlined the rationale behind the suggested conditions. He highlighted, in particular, the fact that the majority of glass-related incidents in licensed premises originated in those which operated till the early hours of the morning and pointed out that a number of those venues now used non-glass containers on a voluntary basis.  He confirmed that the Police Service would be keen for a condition requiring the use of non-glass containers to be attached to all late night Entertainments Licences. However, he suggested that the Committee might wish to waive the imposition of that condition in this instance to enable it to give further consideration to the matter.

            Chief Inspector Moran was thanked by the Chairman and he retired from the meeting.  

            The Committee was informed that Mr. D. Malone, the applicant, was in attendance and he was welcomed to the meeting.

            Mr. Malone informed the Committee that he was seeking to vary the Entertainments Licence in order to enhance the premises’ offering to visitors to the City and to enable it to compete commercially with other venues which operated till 3.00 a.m. In terms of the suggested conditions which had been advocated by the Police Service, he confirmed that Security Industry Authority registered door supervisors were employed currently on each night of the week and that the premises’ closed circuit television system had been upgraded recently. He pointed out that patrons leaving the premises with drinks glasses were requested by door staff to swap them for plastic containers and expressed the view that the use of such containers inside the premises at any time would not be in keeping with the image which he was working to create for Ronnie Drew’s

            In response to a question from a Member, Mr. Malone confirmed that the premises had a number of closed circuit television cameras in operation and that he would have no difficulty in making recordings available to the Police Service, if requested.

            Having been thanked by the Chairman, Mr. Malone retired from the meeting.

            The Head of Building Control informed the Committee that the Licensed Premises’ Group, which had been established by the Council and the Police Service of Northern Ireland to enhance and encourage good management practices in licensed premises, met on a regular basis to discuss those which experienced issues with anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related crime. He confirmed that, if required, the use of non-glass containers could be incorporated into such a premises’ action plan with a view to addressing those issues.  

            After discussion, the Committee agreed, in its capacity as Licensing Authority, to grant a transfer and variation of a Seven-day Annual Entertainments Licence in respect of Ronnie Drew’s, 79-83 May Street, with entertainment being permitted to take place on a Friday and Saturday night till 3.00 a.m.