The Licensing Sub Committee Hearing Panel of Manchester Council is scheduled to convene on Monday 3 August 2026 to consider several applications and a review related to premises licences. The agenda includes discussions on new premises licence applications for Luella's and Gumbo, a review of the premises licence for Beilul Lounge, and an application for a personal licence.

Review of Premises Licence for Beilul Lounge

A significant item on the agenda is the review of the premises licence for Beilul Lounge, located at the First Floor and Second Floor, 100 Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M14 5AJ. This review has been initiated by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) under section 51 of the Licensing Act 2003¹. The grounds for the review cite alleged failures to uphold the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety.

The report details numerous licensing breaches identified by officers, including unsupervised alcohol, absence of a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) on site, lack of staff training and incident records, poor management oversight, and the manager's limited knowledge of licensing requirements. Inspections also reportedly revealed significant safety concerns such as poor hygiene, a rat infestation, blocked escape routes, and fire safety deficiencies. GMP is seeking the revocation of the premises licence due to these fundamental failures. The report also notes that transfer and DPS variation applications for the premises have been submitted, with GMP lodging objections to these as well.

Application for a New Premises Licence for Luella's

The panel will also consider an application for a new premises licence for Luella's, located at the Basement and Ground Floor, 2-10 St Mary's Street, Manchester, M3 2LB. This application has attracted relevant representations from responsible authorities, specifically Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and the Licensing and Out of Hours Compliance Team (LOOH).

GMP is objecting on the grounds of the likely adverse impact on the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder, prevention of public nuisance, and protection of children from harm. Concerns include the proposed licensable activity timings and operating hours, a lack of proposed sufficient measures to uphold licensing objectives, dissatisfaction with the proposal to not provide SIA registered door staff at peak city centre trading times, no stated venue capacity, and no commitment to preventing anti-social behaviour from customers, particularly regarding parking. GMP also notes the absence of a 'drinking-up' time, which they consider unacceptable as it would allow the serving of alcohol up to closing time.

The LOOH Compliance Team shares GMP's concerns regarding the robustness and enforceability of the applicant's proposed conditions, particularly regarding the employment of SIA registered door staff and staff training. Both GMP and LOOH are requesting that the application be refused.

Application for a New Premises Licence for Gumbo

Another new premises licence application to be considered is for Gumbo, located in the Basement at 12-14 Lever Street, Manchester, M1 1LN. This application has also attracted relevant representations from the Licensing and Out of Hours Compliance Team (LOOH) and GMP.

LOOH has expressed concerns regarding the proximity of noise-sensitive premises, including a hotel and apartment blocks, and believes the four licensing objectives may not be supported. They suggest the premises should operate solely on Fridays and Saturdays, with a reduced terminal hour of 3 am and alcohol sales finishing at 2:30 am, to avoid undue disturbance to nearby residents. LOOH also noted a discrepancy between the hours stated in the application and those displayed on the premises' blue notice, and expressed concerns about the lack of clarity regarding the premises' operation, suggesting it resembles a nightclub more than a bar. They also believe some proposed conditions lack clarity and enforceability, and that new conditions are needed.

GMP's concerns relate to the prevention of crime and disorder and the prevention of public nuisance, citing the premises' location on the periphery of Piccadilly Gardens, an area known for anti-social behaviour and crime. GMP highlights the busy road, narrow pavements, and the need to manage queues, smokers, and customer dispersal. GMP believes more robust conditions are needed for the premises to operate safely and for the licensing objectives to be adequately promoted.

Application for a Personal Licence

The panel will also consider an application for a personal licence with relevant convictions declared, identified as SB. The report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing is enclosed for this item.