The Licensing Sub-Committee of Tunbridge Wells Council met on Tuesday 17 March 2026 to consider an application to vary the premises licence for Cassidy's, a public house located at 10-12 Castle Street, Royal Tunbridge Wells. The committee granted the application with amended conditions, allowing for later external seating and re-entry times, but also introducing a requirement for a noise management policy.

Variation of Premises Licence for Cassidy's

The primary focus of the meeting was an application by John Hoare, the premises licence holder for Cassidy's, to vary its licence. The proposed variations included the removal of several existing conditions and the addition of new ones. Specifically, the applicant sought to remove restrictions on outside seating after 11 pm and re-entry after 11:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The applicant also aimed to remove conditions regarding the number of SIA¹ staff required and the terminal time for re-entry.

The application was supported by the applicant's agent, Simon Voisey, who argued that the requested changes were modest and necessary for Cassidy's to operate on a level playing field with neighbouring venues, particularly in anticipation of the Football World Cup. Mr. Voisey highlighted that police advice suggested allowing customers to sit outside was a safer option and that later re-entry times would help disperse customers, contributing to a safer night-time economy. He also presented an independent noise assessment report, which suggested that noise from Cassidy's was not the dominant source of disturbance for nearby residents.

However, the Environmental Health department, represented by Lisa Anderson, the Environmental Protection Team Leader, objected to the removal of the conditions concerning outdoor seating and re-entry times. Ms. Anderson presented evidence of numerous noise complaints received from residents in the vicinity of Cassidy's, citing instances of shouting, swearing, and loud music. She expressed concerns that allowing outdoor seating beyond 11 pm would exacerbate noise issues for residents, particularly given the close proximity of a residential property with a bedroom window directly adjacent to Cassidy's seating area. Ms. Anderson also raised significant doubts about the validity and methodology of the applicant's noise assessment report, stating it was seriously flawed and unsuitable for its purpose.

After hearing from both the applicant and the objector, and with advice from legal advisor Helen Ward, the subcommittee made the following decision:

• Grant the application to remove the requested conditions, with amendments to the conditions regarding last entry and outdoor seating.
• Add new conditions, including:
  • No new entry to the premises after 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays, except for those temporarily leaving to smoke.
  • External tables and chairs must be rendered unusable from 11 pm on Sundays to Thursdays, and from 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
  • The premises must maintain a noise management policy, including dedicated sections on customer management in external areas and a complaints handling policy. This policy must be made available to authorised officers on request, and staff must be trained in it.

A written decision detailing the reasons for this determination and outlining the appeal process will be provided to all parties. Any party wishing to appeal must do so within 21 days of receiving the written decision.