The Statutory Licensing Sub-Committee approved the application for a new premises licence for Bryn Welfare Bowls Club, subject to conditions agreed upon by the applicant, South Wales Police, and the Legal Regulatory Service. The licence permits the club to open from 10:00 to 22:30, and to supply alcohol (on and off sales) from 12:00 to 22:00 between 1 April and 30 September. The decision was made to promote the four licensing objectives¹, and was in accordance with the council's Statement of Licensing Policy (2021), and the Statutory Guidance issued under s.182 of the Licensing Act 2003².

Application for Premises Licence - Bryn Welfare Bowls Club

The sub-committee considered an application for a new premises licence for Bryn Welfare Bowls Club, located at Bowls Pavilion, Bryn Park, Bryn, Port Talbot. The application seeks to authorise the sale of alcohol, both on and off the premises.

Decision: The sub-committee approved the application for the new premises licence, subject to conditions.

The applicant, Bryn Welfare Bowls Club, requested the following permissions:

• Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 to 22:30
• Supply of alcohol (on and off sales): Monday to Sunday, 12:00 to 22:00, seasonal variation for alcohol sales only from 1 April to 30 September.

As part of the application, the club outlined how it intended to promote the four licensing objectives. These included measures such as adopting a code of conduct for members, installing CCTV, implementing the Challenge 25 scheme³, and training staff on their responsibilities under the Licensing Act 2003.

Representations and Conditions

Representations were received from South Wales Police and Peter Malough, Senior Legal Regulatory Officer, requesting additional conditions to be attached to the licence. Three representations were also received from residents living near the premises. The applicant formally agreed to the conditions requested by South Wales Police and the Legal Regulatory Officer.

The agreed conditions, which the applicant volunteered, and which are now part of the licence, include measures to prevent crime and disorder, and public nuisance:

• CCTV: A CCTV system must be installed and maintained, operating at all times when the premises is open to the public, providing clear images, particularly for facial identification. CCTV camera angles are not to be obstructed. The system must cover the entrances and exits to the premises, as well as the patio area. Recordings must be time and date stamped, stored securely for a minimum of 31 days, and made available to the Police, authorised officers of the Licensing Authority, or other Responsible Authorities upon request. A staff member conversant with the CCTV system's operation must be on the premises at all times it is open to the public, and be able to provide viewable copies of recent data or CCTV recordings in a recordable format.
• Refusal Recording Book: A refusal recording book (written or electronic) must be maintained to demonstrate the effective operation of the Challenge 25 Policy. It must record the date and time of all attempts by individuals under 18 to purchase alcohol, as well as any other refused sales, and the name of the staff member involved. The book must be available for inspection by the Police, authorised officers of the Licensing Authority, or other Responsible Authorities on request.
• Incident Logbook: An incident logbook (written or electronic) must be kept on the premises and made available for inspection on request. It must be completed within 24 hours of the incident and record all crimes reported, incidents of disorder, assaults, injuries, accidents, staff interventions, ejections of patrons, complaints received, faults in the CCTV system, and visits by any Responsible Authorities or emergency services. The log must include the date, time, name of the staff member making the record, details of the incident, and any action taken.
• Challenge 25 Policy: A Challenge 25 Policy must be operated at the premises. Staff selling alcohol must request that any customer who looks under 25 years old and is attempting to purchase or consume alcohol provides valid photographic identification proving they are at least 18 years old. Acceptable forms of identification are recognised photographic identification cards bearing their photograph, date of birth, and a holographic mark.
• Challenge 25 Signage: Clearly legible signs must be prominently displayed where they can easily be seen and read by customers, stating that a Challenge 25 Policy is in operation, that customers may be asked to provide proof of age, and what the acceptable forms of proof of age are. The signage must be kept free from obstructions at all times.
• Staff Training: All staff that undertake the sale and supply of alcohol on the premises must receive full training pertinent to the Licensing Act 2003 (specifically regarding age-restricted sales, proxy sales, Challenge 25 Policy, and the refusal of sales to persons believed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs) before they are allowed to sell or supply any alcohol to the public at the premises. All staff training will be documented within the training record book. A training record book (written or electronic) of such training must be kept/be accessible at the premises at all times and be made immediately available for inspection. The training record must include the trainee's name, the trainer's name, the signature of the trainee, the signature of the trainer, the date(s) of training, and a declaration that the training has been received.
• Door Supervisors: The Premises Licence Holder will risk assess the need for Security Industry Authority (SIA ) door supervisors and provide door supervision between such times and in such numbers as is required by the risk assessment. Should the Premises Licence Holder decide that SIA door supervisors are not required, a written record must be kept detailing the reasons why this has been taken. Where SIA door supervisors are used, a daily log (written or electronic) must be kept of the door supervisors working, including their full name, address, SIA licence number, company, and the dates and the booking on-off times. The log must be made available for inspection on request.
• Public Nuisance: Clear and legible signs must be prominently displayed throughout the premises and at all exits requesting patrons to respect the needs of local residents and to leave the premises and area quietly to minimise impact on local residents. The signage must be kept free from obstructions at all times.

Reasons for the Decision

In reaching their decision, the sub-committee noted that the representations and evidence from the Responsible Authorities, the Applicant, and Other Persons were compelling and relevant. They were grateful to the residents for raising their concerns, but considered that the robust conditions agreed upon with the Responsible Authorities addressed those concerns, and that the application did not cause them any concern. The licence was deemed to be in line with the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy (2021) and Guidance.

The sub-committee was satisfied that the applicant appeared responsible and that the premises were in safe hands, and that the pragmatic and most efficient solution was to accept all the conditions proposed by the Police, the Legal Regulatory Service, and the Applicant.