To consider an application for the variation of a premises licence in respect of Market House, 1-2 Market Place, Reading, RG1 2EQ.

The Sub-Committee considered a report on an application to vary the premises licence in respect of Market House, 1-2 Market Place, Reading, RG1 2EQ. The report explained that the premises currently benefited from a premise licence (copy at Appendix RS-1) that authorised the following licensable activities:

 

Provision of Late Night Refreshment:

 

Monday to Sunday from 2300hrs to 0500hrs.

 

From the end of permitted hours on New Year's Eve until the start of permitted hours on New Year's Day for non-overnight residents.

 

Sale by Retail of Alcohol (On Sales):

 

Monday to Sunday from 1000hrs to 2300hrs.

 

The supply of alcohol shall be 24hrs for residents of the hotel and their bona fide guests.

 

From the end of permitted hours on New Year's Eve until the start of permitted hours on New Year's Day.

 

Hours the Premises is Open to the Public:

         

Monday to Sunday from 0700hrs to 2330hrs.

 

The roof terrace will open from 0800hrs to 2300hrs daily.

 

Opening hours shall be 24hrs for residents of the hotel and their bona fide guests.

 

From the end of permitted hours on New Year's Eve until the start of permitted hours on New Year's Day.

         

The application to vary the premise licence had been submitted by The City Pub Group Ltd. At the meeting the Sub-Committee heard that City Pub Group Ltd had been acquired by Young & Co.'s Brewery PLC. A copy of the application form was attached to the report at Appendix RS-2. The application sought to vary the premise licence as follows:

         

Sale of Alcohol (On Sales)

 

Increase the terminal hour for the sale of alcohol, Wednesday to Saturday, from 2300hrs to 0100hrs.

 

Provision of Recorded Music:

 

Add the Provision of Recorded Music to the licence as follows:

 

Wednesday 2300hrs to 0100hrs

Thursday      2300hrs to 0100hrs

Friday           2300hrs to 0100hrs

Saturday       2300hrs to 0100hrs

 

New Years Eve       From the end of permitted hours on New Year's Eve to the start of permitted hours on New Year's Day.

 

Hours the Premises is Open to the Public

 

Increase the Hours the Premises is Open to the Public, Wednesday to Saturday, from 2330hrs to 0130hrs, as follows:

 

Wednesday 0700hrs to 0130hrs

Thursday      0700hrs to 0130hrs

Friday           0700hrs to 0130hrs

Saturday       0700hrs to 0130hrs

 

Remove the restriction on the existing licence listed under the opening hours stating that: “The roof terrace will open from 0800hrs to 2300hrs daily.”

 

The application further sought to amend or remove other conditions attached to Annex 2 of the current premises licence. A copy of the newly proposed conditions which had been agreed between the Council’s Licensing Team, Thames Valley Police and the Applicant was attached to the report at Appendix RS-3.

 

The report stated that all other licensable activities and hours would remain as per the current licence.

 

During the 28-day consultation period for the application a representation objecting to the variation had been received by Reading Borough Council from Mr Andrew Strong on behalf of Sykes Capital Ltd. A copy of the representation was attached to the report at Appendix RS-4.

 

The following additional information had been circulated to members of the Sub-Committee by email after the publication of the agenda, with hard copies also made available at the meeting:

 

• a document provided by the Applicant that included photographs of the premises, floor plans and online customer reviews;
• a document provided by the objector that included two annotated ariel photographs. 

 

The report stated that in determining the application the Licensing Authority had a duty to carry out its functions with a view to promoting the four licensing objectives, as follows:

 

• The prevention of crime and disorder;
• Public safety;
• The prevention of public nuisance;
• The protection of children from harm.

 

The report stated that any decision made in relation to the Premises Licence should be appropriate and proportionate with a view to promoting the licensing objectives. The Licensing Authority could amend, alter, or refuse an application should it be deemed appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives. The report stated that, when determining the application, the Licensing Authority must also have regard to the representations received, the Licensing Authority’s Statement of Licensing Policy and to any relevant section of the statutory guidance issued to licensing authorities by the Secretary of State.

 

The report set out paragraphs 1.6, 3.1, 3.2, 5.6, 5.7, 6.1, 6.2, 6.5, 6.28, 6.29, 7.2, 7.14, 7.15, 8.6, 10.1 and 10.3 from the Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy. The report also set out paragraphs 1.2 to 1.5, 8.41 to 8.49, 8.50, 8.76, 8.41 to 8.49, 8.50, 8.76, 9.12 and 9.38 to 9.43 from the Secretary of State’s Guidance to the Licensing Act 2003 issued in December 2023.

 

Robert Smalley, Licensing Officer, Reading Borough Council, attended the hearing, presented the report and addressed the Sub-Committee. Tabitha Shaw, Licensing Officer, Reading Borough Council attended the hearing as an observer.

 

The Applicant's representative, James Anderson, Poppleston Allen Solicitors, attended the meeting, addressed the Sub-Committee on the application and answered questions. John St John, Operations Manager, Young’s and Richard Robinson, General Manager, Young’s also attended the meeting, addressed the Sub-Committee and answered questions.

 

At the meeting the Applicant offered to add three additional conditions to the licence that it felt would help to address any concerns that there might be relating to noise escaping from the premises.

 

Charlie Sykes attended the meeting on behalf of Sykes Capital Ltd, addressed the Sub-Committee and asked and responded to questions.

 

In reaching their decision the Sub-Committee gave due consideration to:

 

• the Licensing Act 2003;
• the Secretary of State’s Guidance issued under section 182 of that Act;
• Reading Borough Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy;
• the likely effect that granting the application would have on the promotion of the four Licensing Objectives;
• the report prepared by Reading Borough Council's Licensing Department;
• the representations and additional information provided the Applicant;
• the representations and additional information provided the Objector;
• the professional representations given at the meeting by Robert Smalley on behalf of Reading Borough Council's Licensing Department;
• the oral representations at the meeting from the Applicant;
• the oral representations made at the meeting on behalf of the objector by Mr Charlie Sykes of Sykes Capital.

 

Resolved –

         

(1)           That the application to vary the premises licence in respect of Market House, 1-2 Market Place, Reading, RG1 2EQ, be granted to:

 

a)             increase the terminal hour for the Sale of Alcohol from 2300hrs to 0100hrs on the following days:

 

Wednesday 1000hrs to 0100hrs

Thursday      1000hrs to 0100hrs

Friday           1000hrs to 0100hrs

Saturday       1000hrs to 0100hrs

 

b)             add the Provision of Recorded Music from 2300hrs to 0100hrs on the following days:

 

Wednesday 2300hrs to 0100hrs

Thursday      2300hrs to 0100hrs

Friday           2300hrs to 0100hrs

Saturday       2300hrs to 0100hrs

 

New Years Eve       From the end of permitted hours on New Year's Eve to the start of permitted hours on New Year's Day.

 

c)             increase the Hours the Premises is Open to the Public by adjusting the closing time from 2330hrs to 0130hrs on the following days:

 

Wednesday 0700hrs to 0130hrs

Thursday      0700hrs to 0130hrs

Friday           0700hrs to 0130hrs

Saturday       0700hrs to 0130hrs

 

d)             remove the restriction listed under the opening hours stating that: “The roof terrace will open from 0800hrs to 2300hrs daily.”

 

(2)           That the grant of the variation application be subject to the new set of conditions agreed between the Council’s Licensing Team, Thames Valley Police and the Applicant, as set out in Appendix RS-3.

 

(3)           That the following further conditions offered up by the Applicant be added to licence:

 

                                               i.         Closing the vault room roof at 2300 hrs each night;

                                              ii.         Closing the roof garden’s roof at 2300 hrs each night;

                                            iii.         Provision by the applicant of a dedicated telephone number for local residents, through Sykes Developments, and the publishing of that telephone number on the premises’ website.

 

(4)           That all other licensable activities and hours associated with the premises remain as per the existing licence.