Agenda item

The Assistant Licensing Officer presented the report and outlined the application to review a premises licence for Stevenson’s Floating River Bar, Quayside, Cambridge.

 

Councillor Benstead reminded those present that an application for review had the same powers as a committee considering a new application.

 

Applicant

 

Mr Ramsey made the following points as the Applicant:

 

i.                Conservators of the River Cam had concerns about a floating bar on the river.

ii.               The bar impedes the free flow of river traffic.

iii.              The River Bailiffs had raised safety concerns.

iv.             The punt in question was also used as a chauffeur punt and had been involved in a serious accident that had resulted in a serious injury to a member of the public.

v.              The punt was being used as an unlicensed tour boat.

vi.             Conservators of the River Cam would consider whether to end the option of vending punts at their meeting in January 2016.

vii.            Would like to request that the committee either revoke the premises license or add a clause requiring the punt to also hold a licence from the Conservators of the River Cam.

 

Members commented that it could be part of a wider picture with the river being overused. The Chair stated that this was not a consideration for this committee.

 

Members’ Questions

 

In response to Member’s questions, the applicant confirmed the following:

 

viii.          Prevention of Crime and Disorder had been listed as a reason for the review. However, there was no evidence of crime or disorder.

ix.             Legal ownership of the punt had been separated from ownership of the Premises Licence.

 

 

Statement from Licence holder

 

The Assistant Licensing Officer confirmed that Ms Stevenson had sold the punt some time ago but had retained the Premises Licence. In addition, the original licence did not identify a particular punt; the licence could be applied to any punt moored at Quayside opposite Magdalene College.

 

The Assistant Licensing Officer read out a statement from Ms Stevenson summarised as follows:

 

x.              Sold the boat at the beginning of the year.

xi.             Informed the Licencing Authority that the bar would not be running again until 2016.

xii.            Was informed by the Conservators of the River Cam and the Assistant Licensing Officer that the two males, who had purchased the punt, had continued to run it as a bar without her permission.

xiii.          Is in full agreement with the suggested conditions.

xiv.          Was keen to work in partnership with other parties to ensure river users were safe.

xv.           Sought to restart her business next year and wanted to run it legally and professionally.

xvi.          Future hours would be 10am to 7pm.

xvii.        Boat would be staffed by two people who would be in a uniform and fully trained.

xviii.       Punt would be painted with Pimm’s mechanising to distinguish it from other punts.

xix.          No stock would be stored on the punt.

xx.           Sought to give the public a memorable experience of the River Cam.

 

Responsible Authority

 

Mr Ducket addressed the committee and made the following comments:

 

xxi.          Stevenson’s Bar was unproblematic before the punt had been sold.

xxii.        There was a lack of clarity in the original licence.

xxiii.       Additional conditions were needed.

 

Members’ Questions

 

In response to Members’ questions, the Licensing and Enforcement Manager stated the following:

 

xxiv.      Ms Stevenson currently does not own a punt.

xxv.        She is looking to purchase on in the near future.

xxvi.      She is still the licence holder. However, recent activities were outside her control.

xxvii.     Activities since the punt was sold have been illegal as no Premises Licence was in place.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Assistant Licencing Officer, confirmed that unlike a brick and mortar premises, the licence for the punt had never been linked to an individual punt. The Licensing and Enforcement Manager stated that it may have been due to a historical error, the existing licence was very vague and this needed to be addressed.

 

Summing Up

 

All parties confirmed that they had no further comments to make.

 

Members withdrew at 10:30am and returned at 12:20pm.  Whilst retired and having made their decision, Members received assistance on the wording of the decision by the Legal Advisor.

 

The Chair stated that the Sub Committee were minded to modify the conditions of the licence as follows:

 

To accept the additional conditions as proposed by the Licensing Enforcement Manager with the following amendments:

 

1.   Item 3: The lettering of Stevenson’s Floating River Bar shall be in letters of 50mm.

2.   Item 3: The lettering of “Miss Sarah Louise Stevenson, licensed to supply alcohol” shall be in letters of 25mm.

3.   New condition 6 : When operating, a copy of this license shall be displayed on the vessel.

 

The Chair asked for comments on the suggested conditions and offered interested parties time to consider the proposals.

 

Decision:

 

To add six new conditions to the licence at Annexe 3 as follows:

 

 

14. Within 3 months of the hearing on 21^st December 2015, Miss Stevenson, the Licence Holder must notify the Licensing Team of Cambridge City Council of the registration number of the punt that is licensed. The Premises Licence will then be issued with this as the premises licenced.

 

 

15. The supply of alcohol shall only be from the punt with the registration number in Condition 14 of the Premises Licence.

 

16. The licensed punt shall display the following words on both sides of the bow and on the till so it can be read from the stern: “Stevenson’s Floating River Bar”. This shall be in letters of 50mm. Below this there shall be the name of the Licence Holder followed by, “Licensed to supply alcohol”. This shall be in letters of 25mm. Supply of alcohol shall not take place without this wording and the wording shall remain in place whilst the punt is covered by a premises licence. Supply of alcohol can only take place when the name of the current licence holder is written on the punt. All wording must be removed immediately the punt ceases to be covered by the premises licence.

 

17. The punt must not be used without the permission of the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) and the licence holder. When not in use the punt must be securely moored by lock and chain. Any unauthorised use of the punt must be reported by the licence holder to the police within 24 hours of discovery and the licence holder must keep a record of the police reference number.

 

18. Apart from when trading, food and drink (including alcoholic drinks) shall not be stored on the punt.

 

19. When operating, a copy of the premises licence shall be displayed on the vessel.

 

The Sub Committee’s reasons :

 

The existing conditions on the Premises Licence do not sufficiently identify the premises or who the licence holder is. The Sub Committee did not hear any evidence to suggest that the licence to sell alcohol from a punt on the river has affected public safety or contributed to crime and disorder on the river. The new conditions will identify the business and the relevant punt more precisely.