The Licensing Hearing Panel (Licensing 2003 Act) Sub Committee of Cambridge City Council met to consider an application for a premises licence to be granted. The application was for The C Bar, located at 1A Devonshire Road, Cambridge. The report pack included the agenda, the application form, site plans, and representations from Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Public Health.

The C Bar, 1A Devonshire Road, Cambridge

The sub-committee was scheduled to discuss an application from Golden Direction Property Limited for a premises licence for The C Bar, 1A Devonshire Road, Cambridge, CB1 2BH. According to the agenda frontsheet, the public reports pack contained information about the application on pages 3-28.

The applicant, Mrs Yan Wang of Golden Direction Property Ltd, was seeking to provide the following licensable activity:

• Supply of alcohol (consumption on the premises) Monday to Saturday 11:00 to 22:30

A report prepared by Wangari Njiiri, Environmental Health and Licensing Support Team Leader, stated that the premises was previously occupied by Cambridge Vinopolis, operating as a wine shop and bar, and then as Amphora Cambridge, which continued the same use. The current application proposes to operate the premises as a wine bar.

The report noted a potential issue with the location of the premises. While the application is for 1A Devonshire Road, which is outside any designated Cumulative Impact Area (CIA), the submitted plans appear to also cover 112 Mill Road, CB1 2BD. The report stated that the plans indicate that the entrance to the premises is positioned at the corner of Devonshire Road and Mill Road, and that 112 Mill Road is within a Cumulative Impact Area and would therefore be subject to the Cumulative Impact Assessment¹. The report stated that if the licence holder intends to use 112 Mill Road for licensable activities, the onus is on the applicant to demonstrate why the granting of the licence would not add to the cumulative impact already being experienced within the area.

The report stated that representations were received from Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Public Health.

The representation from Cambridgeshire Constabulary raised concerns regarding the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and the prevention of public nuisance. It stated that:

The poor quality of the application doesn't give sufficient details to allow Responsible Authorities to make an informed decision.

There is a question as to whether this premises falls within the Mill Road Cumulative Impact Area (CIA) as the plan drawing shows a door exiting out onto the corner of Mill Road/Devonshire Road. The business that used to occupy that part of the building was Elitian Ltd, with an address of 112 Mill Rd, CB1 2BD.

The police also raised concerns that the plans submitted with the application did not delineate what areas of the building are to be licensed, and that the description of the premises as a wine bar did not align with the plan drawing, which annotates a spa room, sauna, steam room and massage room in the basement, and hotel rooms on the first, second and loft floors. The police stated that the applicant had not referred to the Cumulative Impact Policy, nor evidenced how the premises would not add to the 'cumulative impact' on the local area.

The representation from Public Health stated that they were making a representation on all four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm. They stated that the premises has its main entrance off Mill Road and subsidiary entrance off Devonshire Road, and that it is considered therefore that the premises falls within the Mill Road Cumulative Impact Area/Zone (CIZ). Public Health stated that the applicant has not demonstrated under any of the licensing objectives how their establishment will not add to the cumulative impact in the Mill Road CIZ.

Environmental Health had no representation to make on the application, but recommended that the following conditions be attached, which have been agreed with the applicant:

• Collections from and or deliveries to the premises, shall only take place between the hours of 07:00 and 23:00. This shall include the placing of waste, including bottles, into waste receptacles outside the premises and the emptying of waste receptacles outside the premises and the emptying of waste receptacles by a waste contractor.
• Patrons will be asked to leave the premises quietly and with due consideration for neighbouring properties. Notices will be displayed in a prominent customer facing area to that effect.

The report stated that the sub-committee's decision must be made with a view to promoting one or more of the four licensing objectives², and that members should take such steps that they consider are necessary for the promotion of the licensing objectives. The sub-committee may resolve to grant the licence subject to conditions, to exclude from the scope of the licence any of the licensable activities to which the application relates, to refuse to specify a person in the licence as the premises supervisor, or to reject the application.

The report recommended that members determine the application on its individual merits having reference to the statutory licensing objectives and Cambridge City Council's Statement of Licensing Policy.