The Licensing Sub Committee of Cardiff Council was scheduled to consider two applications for premises licences. These applications were for a restaurant and takeaway named Chicking, and a retail convenience store named Asa Mart.

Application for Premises Licence: Chicking, Crwys Road

The committee was scheduled to consider an application for a premises licence for Chicking, located at 132 Crwys Road, Cathays, Cardiff. The application, submitted by J&SK Enterprises Limited, sought permission for the provision of late-night refreshment indoors. The proposed operating hours for the premises were Monday to Sunday, 11:00 to 03:00, with the licensable activity of late-night refreshment to take place between 23:00 and 03:00 daily.

Representations were received from Pollution Control, South Wales Police, and a local ward Councillor. The Pollution Control representation had been withdrawn following an agreement on amended hours. The report pack indicated that the applicant had agreed to specific hours for late-night refreshment: Sunday to Thursday from 23:00 to 02:00, and Friday and Saturday from 23:00 to 03:00.

South Wales Police submitted a representation outlining concerns about crime, disorder, and nuisance associated with alcohol in the surrounding area. They proposed several additional conditions for the licence, including a specific standard for CCTV, the maintenance of an incident record, a prohibition on the sale of alcohol, restrictions on the use of seating after 23:00, no external amplified music, and the display of notices requesting patrons to leave quietly.

Councillor Norma Mackie, on behalf of herself and fellow councillors Sarah Merry, Chris Weaver, and Ali Ahmed, also lodged an objection. Their concerns centred on the potential increase in noise, crime, and anti-social behaviour in the Crwys Road area, particularly due to late-night customers from nightclubs. They also highlighted existing crime statistics for the area and the potential for further disruption to residents. The objection was based on the grounds that the application would not promote the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder, public safety, and public nuisance.

Application for Premises Licence: Asa Mart, Kingsway

The committee was also scheduled to review an application for a premises licence for Asa Mart, located at the Lower Ground and Basement of Northgate House, Kingsway, Cardiff. Asa Mart Ltd applied for a licence for the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises. The proposed opening hours for the store were Monday to Saturday, 10:00 to 20:00, and Sunday, 11:00 to 18:00. The sale of alcohol was to occur within these same hours.

The application was within the City Centre Cumulative Impact Zone¹, a policy adopted by Cardiff Council due to high levels of alcohol-related problems, crime, disorder, public nuisance, and risks to public safety. The report indicated that the applicant was required to demonstrate that the business would not add to the negative cumulative impact on licensing objectives.

Representations were received from the Senior Licensing Enforcement Officer and South Wales Police. The representation from the Senior Licensing Enforcement Officer had been withdrawn after the applicant agreed to proposed amendments.

South Wales Police initially objected to the application, stating that the applicant had offered little to reassure them that the premises would not add to the cumulative impact. They requested several conditions be attached to the licence, including the installation and maintenance of a CCTV system to a standard approved by South Wales Police, staff training on age-related sales and other relevant procedures, secure storage of alcohol behind the counter, a Challenge 25 policy, the maintenance of an incident log, restrictions on the sale of alcohol over 5.5% ABV, the use of a till with an automatic age prompt, and a safeguarding procedure for children and vulnerable adults. They also suggested that alcohol should only be sold in sealed non-glass containers during major events in the city centre.