Agenda item

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 21st September, 2011, it had agreed that, in future, all applications for Outdoor Entertainments Licences be placed before it for consideration.  Accordingly, the Head of Building Control submitted for the Committee’s consideration an application which had been received in respect of Filthy McNasty’s, 41?45 Dublin Road.  He explained that the premises held currently an Indoor Entertainments Licence and that the licensee was now proposing to offer entertainment in the car park immediately to the rear of the building. Under the terms of the Outdoor Entertainments Licence, entertainment would be required to cease at 11.00 p.m. and could only run beyond that time if approved in advance by the Licensing Committee.

            He confirmed that no written representation had been received in relation to the application and that the Police Service of Northern Ireland had offered no objection.  Should the application be granted, the Police Service, together with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and other partner agencies, would be invited to attend pre-event meetings and would work with the Council’s Building Control Service and Environmental Protection Unit and event organisers to ensure that all requirements were met.

            The Committee was advised that Mr. P. Langsford, the applicant, together with Ms. S. Egerton, Marketing Manager, were in attendance in order to provide information on the proposal and they were welcomed to the meeting.

            Mr. Langsford informed the Members that he had secured a one-year lease of the car park to the rear of Filthy McNasty’s and had obtained approval from the landlord to hold events therein.  He explained that the business had grown steadily over the years and that the proposal to utilise the adjacent car park represented an opportunity for further expansion.

            He confirmed that entertainment would be provided primarily by live bands, with disc jockeys being used on occasions. In terms of the capacity of the car park, he stated that it could potentially accommodate up to 2,000 patrons, however, that number would be dependent upon the nature of the acts and, ultimately, the approval of the Building Control Service.  He pointed out that the management of the premises would work closely with the Council, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other agencies to ensure that they were satisfied with the arrangements which were being put in place to ensure the successful delivery of events.  For example, a security firm would be employed to oversee the dispersal of patrons from the car park area and door supervisors would ensure that the capacity inside Filthy McNasty’s, as stipulated within the venue’s Indoor Entertainments Licence, would not be exceeded.  Letters would be forwarded also to local residents advising them of proposed events and management would work with them in order to address any concerns. 

            Ms. Egerton outlined the nature of the acts which Filthy McNasty’s would be seeking to attract and pointed out that hotels in Belfast and the local economy in general would benefit as a result.  She highlighted the fact that Filthy McNasty’s was a keen supporter of the work of the Downes Syndrome Association and that it had organised a number of events and other activities to raise funds for the Association.  Discussions would take place with the Association around the continuation of that fundraising in 2015.

            In response to a number of questions from the Members, Mr. Langsford confirmed that he would envisage that no more than twenty events would take place within the car park over the course of the year and that he would have no objection to the Committee limiting the Outdoor Entertainments Licence to that number.  He added that it was possible that he might seek to run some events beyond the standard finishing time of 11.00 p.m. and accepted that that would necessitate for each event the submission of an application to the Building Control Service and approval by the Licensing Committee.

            Ms. Egerton and Mr. Langsford were thanked by the Chairman and they left the meeting.

            After discussion, the Committee agreed, in its capacity as Licensing Authority, to grant a Seven-day Annual Outdoor Entertainments Licence in respect of Filthy McNasty’s, 41?45 Dublin Road, with entertainment being permitted to take place till 11.00 p.m. on up to a maximum of twenty occasions over the term of the Licence and to the following conditions being attached:

                                   (i)          maximum numbers will be agreed at the discretion of the Building Control Service and will vary depending upon individual event set up proposals;

                                  (ii)          prior to any event taking place the promoters are required to demonstrate evidence of early consultation and have in place a robust system of dealing with any complaints, which has been agreed in advance with the Council;

                                (iii)          any requests to provide entertainment later than 11.00 p.m. must be considered by the Licensing Committee and, therefore, must be made at least 3 months in advance of the proposed event; and

                                (iv)          should an application to provide entertainment beyond 11.00 p.m. be granted and the Council then receive a significant number of complaints regarding noise or the complaint is of such significant impact, authority is granted to the Lead Operations Officer/Head of Environmental Health, in consultation with the Town Solicitor, to reduce the finishing time for any subsequent nights of the event, in which case the promoter will be required to make contingency arrangements.