The Licensing Sub-Committee of Bexley Council was scheduled to consider an application to vary the premises licence for The Alma pub in Sidcup. The meeting's agenda included the appointment of a chairman, apologies for absence, and declarations of interest, followed by a discussion of late business items. The primary focus was on the application to vary the licence for The Alma, which had attracted numerous representations from residents and responsible authorities.

Application to Vary Premises Licence at The Alma

The main item scheduled for discussion was an application by Traditional Hub Pub Company Limited to vary the premises licence for The Alma, located at 10 Alma Road, Sidcup, Kent DA14 4EA. The application sought to remove or amend certain embedded conditions from the existing licence, extend permitted hours for licensable activities, and include outdoor licensable activities.

Specifically, the application proposed:

• Removal of Annex 2 – Embedded Conditions: These conditions relate to restrictions carried over from previous licensing legislation, including those concerning the sale of alcohol, the presence of children in bars, and child employment. The applicant sought to remove these to align with current licensing practices.
• Removal of Condition 4 of Annex 3: This condition stipulated that noise from regulated entertainment during night hours must be inaudible at the façade of nearby residential properties.
• Amendment of Condition 1 of Annex 3: The current condition restricts admissions after 23:00 hours. The proposed amendment would allow admissions until 00:00 hours on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Inclusion of Outdoor Activities: The application sought to add live and recorded music outdoors.
• Extension of Hours for Licensable Activities: The applicant proposed extending the hours for various licensable activities, as detailed in Appendix B of the report pack.

The application had attracted representations from the Licensing Authority, the Environmental Health Service, and 20 other persons. These representations, detailed in Appendices E and F of the report pack, raised concerns primarily related to the prevention of public nuisance, public safety, and the protection of children from harm. Residents expressed significant concerns about increased noise levels, particularly from outdoor music and extended hours, and the potential for increased disorder and anti-social behaviour.

The report pack outlined the procedure for the hearing, background information on the premises' licensing history, and relevant sections of the Licensing Act 2003, Bexley Council's Statement of Licensing Policy, and statutory guidance. The Sub-Committee was to consider the application on its merits, taking into account the representations made and the promotion of the four licensing objectives.