The Torridge District Council Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to convene to examine an application for a variation to the premises licence for The Silk Lounge, Bideford. The sub-committee was to receive a report from the Lead Licensing Officer, and consider the application in light of representations received. The report pack included the application and objections from local residents.

The Silk Lounge, 6 Cooper Street, Bideford

The sub-committee was scheduled to discuss an application by Cassius Barnes for a premises licence for The Silk Lounge at 6 Cooper Street, Bideford.

The report pack stated that Mr Cassius Barnes took over the running of the premises in June 2025, and had applied to operate the premises with a premises licence in his own name.

The licensable activities applied for were:

• Performance of live music indoors Monday to Sunday 09:00 - 01:00
• Provision of late night refreshment indoors Friday and Saturday 23:00 - 02:00 and Sunday to Thursday 23:00 - 01:00
• Playing of recorded music indoors Friday and Saturday 09:00 - 02:00, Sunday to Thursday 09:00 - 01:00, and outdoors Monday to Sunday 12:00 - 23:00
• Supply of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises indoors Friday and Saturday 07:00 - 02:00, Sunday to Thursday 07:00 - 01:00, and outdoors Monday to Sunday 12:00 - 23:00
• Non-Standard Timings: All listed licensable activities to be permitted from the end of permitted hours on New Year's Eve to the start of permitted hours on New Year's Day.

The report pack noted that no representations had been received from the responsible authorities¹, but that two objections had been received from neighbours, and two letters of support had been provided.

The objections included a letter from Deborah Millar and David Millar, who own a property in Queen Street, Bideford. They raised concerns regarding:

• The potential for noise nuisance from smoking, shouting and laughing in the garden of The Silk Lounge until the early hours, and the amplification of sound by the Silk Lounge's covered passageway.
• The playing of recorded music in the noise-amplifying open garden passageway of the Silk Lounge plus the garden until the early hours.
• The impact of live music until 01:00 seven days a week.
• Anti-social behaviour fuelled by drunken revellers exiting the licensed premises on Cooper Street and using Queen Street as their most direct route to other establishments.

Another objection was received from S. Stagg, a tenant living next to The Silk Lounge, who stated that they were unable to sleep in their property on Friday and Saturday nights due to the noise of music and drunken behaviour.

The letters of support included one from Philip Brocklehurst, who described himself as both a regular customer and a near neighbour, who stated that the applicant provides a venue which is welcoming and safe, and that noise nuisance and issues of anti-social behaviour do not arise from this venue.

The report pack stated that the sub-committee has a duty under the Licensing Act 2003 to carry out its licensing functions with the aim of promoting the four licensing objectives:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• Public Safety
• The prevention of public nuisance
• The protection of children from harm

The report pack noted that the representations related to the licensing objective of prevention of public nuisance, raising concerns relating to noise and disturbance to the neighbouring residential amenity from music noise and anti-social behaviour.

The report pack included a recommendation that:

The Licensing sub-Committee determine the application to vary the premises licence for The Silk Lounge having regard to the information provided in this report, guidance issued by the Home Office under s.182 of the Act, the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy and the evidence presented during the hearing.