The Alcohol & Gambling Licensing Sub-Committee of West Northamptonshire Council met on Wednesday 10 June 2026. The primary item scheduled for discussion was a new premises licence application for Encore, located at 34-38 Bridge Street, Northampton. The meeting also included procedural items such as the appointment of a chairman and declarations of interest.

New Premises Licence Application - Encore, 34-38 Bridge Street, Northampton

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider a new premises licence application for Encore, a venue at 34-38 Bridge Street, Northampton, NN1 1PA. The application, submitted by Nicky Morrison, sought to allow for regulated entertainment, late-night refreshment, and the supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises.

The report pack detailed that the premises previously held a licence (PL0435) which allowed for recorded and live music, on and off-sales of alcohol, and late-night refreshment with operating hours extending to 04:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. The new application sought to extend the licensable activities to include indoor sporting events and to amend the operating hours, with on-sales of alcohol and regulated entertainment potentially running until 04:00 or 05:00 on certain days.

Representations were received from responsible authorities and members of the public. The Police had agreed to an amendment to the operating schedule, detailed in Appendix E of the public reports pack¹. However, the Environmental Protection Team had made a relevant representation raising concerns about potential noise nuisance, particularly from live music events, impacting nearby residential premises. Four relevant representations were also received from members of the public, all objecting on the grounds of noise pollution. These objections highlighted issues with loud music, vibration, and customers using an alleyway for smoking, which were reported to be causing significant disturbance and affecting residents' ability to sleep.

The report pack outlined that the licensing authority must promote the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. The primary concern raised in the representations related to the prevention of public nuisance.

The sub-committee was presented with several options for determining the application, including granting the licence with conditions, excluding certain licensable activities, refusing to specify a Designated Premises Supervisor, or rejecting the application entirely. The report also detailed the legal framework under the Licensing Act 2003, including the requirement for hearings when relevant representations are received and the process for appeals to a Magistrates' Court.