The Licensing Hearing of Northumberland Council is scheduled to convene on Thursday, 11 December 2025, to address a single agenda item: a premises licence application for The Tipsy Bean, located at 76 Station Road, Ashington, NE63 8RN. The hearing will consider the application, any objections, and determine whether to grant, modify, or reject the licence.

Licensing Act 2003, Application for a Premises Licence - The Tipsy Bean, 76 Station Road, Ashington, NE63 8RN

The primary focus of the meeting is to determine an application for a premises licence submitted by Michelle Henderson for The Tipsy Bean. The original application requested permission for:

• The supply of alcohol (on the premises)
  • Monday - Saturday 11:00 – 00:00
  • Sunday 11:00 - 23:30
• Live music (indoors)
  • Monday - Saturday 11:00 – 00:00
  • Sunday 11:00 – 23:30
• Recorded music (indoors)
  • Monday - Saturday 07:30 – 00:00
  • Sunday 10:00 – 23:30

Following objections, Michelle Henderson proposed amendments to the timings for the supply of alcohol and regulated entertainment, and removed live and recorded music from the application. The amended application requests permission for the supply of alcohol (on the premises only) at the following times:

• Sunday 11:00
• Wednesday 18:00
• Thursday 11:00
• Saturday 21:00
• New Years Eve 11:00 - 00:30

According to the report pack, under the Deregulation Act 2015, a licence is not required for some forms of regulated entertainment, including live and recorded music, between 08:00 and 23:00 on any day on premises authorised to sell alcohol for consumption on those premises under a premises licence, while the premises are open for the supply of alcohol, provided that the audience does not exceed 500 people.

One objection from an interested party was received, citing concerns regarding the prevention of public nuisance. The documentation states that in considering the application, the Licensing Hearing members should have regard to the council's statement of licensing policy, specifically the introduction (3.1 – 3.1.6), premises licences - applications (schedule 2), decision making process (schedule 5), and prevention of public nuisance (appendix C).

The report pack states that the sub-committee may:

• Grant the licence subject to conditions consistent with the operating schedule accompanying the application, modified to such extent as the Sub-committee considers appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives.
• Exclude from the scope of the licence any of the licensable activities to which the application relates
• Reject the application if it is not possible to promote one or more of the licensing objectives by any other means.

The [Licensing Act 2003]¹ licensing objectives are:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• Public safety
• The prevention of public nuisance
• The protection of children from harm