Redlands Liberal Democrats

Kings Tavern Licence decision

Disappointment tonight as the Kings Tavern licence application was...withdrawn. The licensee had applied to extend the pub's opening hours until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights. This proposal was understandably very unpopular with residents, notably those living around Montague Street and Victoria Street. In total, 23 objections were received including from both the Newtown and Redlands & University Neighbourhood Action Groups. Local residents feared any extension in the licence would lead to increased noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour. I was all set to speak on their behalf at the hearing, but in the end I didn't get the chance.

This is highly frustrating. I'm told the licence was withdrawn due to an issue with the application which was not picked up by officers when it was received by the Council - which is regrettable. We should therefore expect a second, more 'complete' application to come forward from the licencee of the Kings Tavern in the near future. This will most likely mean a second consultation, followed by another hearing.

However, unless residents see a significant reduction in problems with this venue such as late night noise and groups of rowdy customers hanging around and causing a nuisance, the complaints are set to continue and action may need to be instigated to review the licence.

79 London Road licence application

Within weeks of the application by the Kings Tavern to extend it's opening hours later into the evening, residents living around London Road are reeling from a second late licence application, this time by the Impartation Network, 79 London Road, where the current Licensable activities are as follows:

Performance of Plays - Indoor  Friday, Saturday & Sunday 13:00 until 23:00hrs

Performance of Live Music – Indoor Friday, Saturday 13:00 until 23:00hrs and Sunday 1300hrs until 2000

Playing of Recorded Music - Indoor Friday, Saturday 13:00 until 23:00hrs and Sunday 1300hrs until 2000

Sale of Alcohol by Retail – On and Off the Premises Monday to Sunday 1900hrs until 2300

The additional hours in respect of licensable activities as outlined in the variation application are:

Plays, Live Music and recorded music: Friday and Saturday 18:00 until 03:00hrs

Premises open to the public Sunday to Thursday 0900 until 2330 Friday & Saturday 0900 until 0330

I have spent the past few days researching the background to this application.

It seems the Impartation Network (79 London Road) applied for a premises licence earlier this year allowing it to stay open and serve alcohol until 2am on certain days but this was amended to 23:00hrs, possibly as a result of a written representation from the Noise section of RBC.

As a result of the change in application, no consultation letters were sent out to local residents (about the current premises licence), no public hearing took place and the licence was granted.

Following this, the licensee at 79 London Road seems to have applied for a number of temporary event notices allowing them to trade alcohol and provide 'regulated' entertainment at times and on days not specified in their premises licence.

It was news to me until last week, but apparently a T.E.N. allows for up to 499 people to hold an event until whatever time they ask for, regardless of what their premises licence stipulates. Local residents are not consulted as part of the process and the only people who can object are the Police on crime on disorder grounds.

This strikes me as outrageous when these 'events' are taking place in this case, in a highly residential area right next to other houses etc. This puts local people and local Councils at a disadvantage: yet another flaw in the Licensing Act 2003, introduced by New Labour.

Anyway, we are aware that there has been a history of problems in relation to noise nuisance in connection with activities at 79 London Road, and we would be very keen to hear from any residents in the vicinity who are affected by this.

Comments/objections to this licence application must be sent to clyde.masson@reading.gov.uk by 22 July to be taken into consideration. Please let us know if you want us to represent your views to the Licensing Commitee at RBC.

Kings Tavern Licence application

We have been picking up concerns from residents over the past couple of weeks in connection an application by the Kings Tavern on Kings Road, for a licence variation.

This premises has applied for an extended licence as follows:-

Late Night Refreshment – Indoor

Thursday until 0130hrs

Friday & Saturday until 0330hrs

Sale

of Alcohol by Retail – On Premises

Thursday until 0100hrs

Friday & Saturday until 0300hrs

We would like to encourage local residents who live in the vicinity of the Kings Tavern with comments or concerns about this application to contact Reading Borough Council's Licensing Department or email jean.champeau@reading.gov.uk The deadline for comments on this application is 18 June.

Please contact Glenn or myself if you would like to discuss this issue further.

Kebab vans and such

You'll have seen the article in the Post regarding the Peeps kebab van.

While issues of noise and litter did come up in the discussion, the real focus was disabled access.
The problem is that by siting the kebab van in the bus stop, buses cannot get close into the raised kerb, making it impossible for people with movement difficulties to easily alight from the bus.

There are around twenty students with disabilities at Reading University, and many others with who find getting around difficult (e.g. due to injury). The bus stop is near sheltered housing, and Northcourt Avenue especially has a number of older residents who find it hard to move around.

My contention was that their needs took precedence, and I was backed up by Reading Buses, by local residents and indeed by the Committee.

Once again, as far as Ward Councillors go, it was left to Daisy and I to lead the fight on this. As the site is on the boundary of Church and Redlands Wards, there were two Labour councillors and two Conservative councillors who could have spoken/written in. Just like the University hotel application, they left it to the Lib Dems to fight for local people.

Coming up this week, on Wednesday we have the Redlands Rd application come to Planning Committee, (as well as very large applications for Reading town centre and Green Parl). On Thursday at 7pm at the Parish Hall in Erleigh Rd, next to St Lukes church, we have the public meeting of the Neighbourhood Action Group, to which all are welcome.

As ever, we will keep you up to date on what's happening.

In the news: Peeps Kebabs and 46 Redlands Road Planning Application

Today's Evening Post details Kirsten's comments to the Licensing Committee on behalf of local residents and bus users requesting that Peeps' kebabs move to a more appropriate location .

My campaign to stop Hicks' developments plans to demolish 46 Redlands Road and replace it with 14 luxury flats is also featured.

What now for Peeps Kebabs?

Kebabs have been in the news a bit recently not just nationally but here in Redlands.

Yesterday evening, the Council's obscurely titled Licensing Applications Sub Committee 3 came to its decision about the long-running saga of the Peeps Kebab van.  It's taken a while for this issue to be resolved as the decision was deferred last month.

The kebab van operator received a 2 month extension to his street trading consent but he will have to move from the bus-stop site at the end of the period (i.e. by April 30th).

This is a positive step.

Kirsten and I have been unhappy that the van has been parking in the bus stop and causing an obstruction on Shinfield Road for some time. We have also received a number of complaints from constituents about Peeps and the van has been linked to an increase in litter and anti-social behaviour in the neighbouring streets.

Residents, Reading Buses and the Redlands & University Neighbourhood Action Group all objected to the renewal of Peeps' license. On the other side of the fence, some students leapt to the defence of Peeps' kebab van and a petition was circulated.

I genuinely hope a more suitable site can be found for Peeps - I don't see why the van, local residents and students can't happily coexist. Indeed, somewhere on the University Campus would seem sensible as this would be convenient for students and have less impact on the local community and bus users.

Perhaps the University and the Reading University Students' Union could get together to come up with a solution to suit all sides? I have emailed the University's community relations manager to see if something can be worked out.

Staying on the subject of kebab sellers, I received a complaint last week about the kebab shop on Christchurch Green. Late night noise on week nights is already a problem around Christchurch Road and Redlands Road. Trading hours do need to be got right to balance the needs of customers and local residents.

I have passed the resident's concerns on to licensing so they are aware. Litter can also be a problem where there are lots of take aways next to each other: Whitley St is a case in point.

The Licensing Act 2003 (associated with the 'liberalisation' of the licensing laws i.e 24 hour licenses etc) gave the power to any person who is unhappy with the operation of particular licensed premises i.e. bar, restaurant etc can seek a review of that premise's license. This is then heard by the councillors on the licensing committee. You can read the Council's local licensing policy here.

On a positive note, when threatened with a potential review of its premises license after reports of anti-social behaviour,the management of  local pub the Upin Arms on London Road (formerly the Jack of Both Sides) made significant changes to its operations and managed to turn its bad reputation around. This was after I held meetings with the Pub's managment, licensing officers and a group of local residents to discuss the problems . As a result of pressure from this group the pub installed CCTV and generally took a more responsible attitude. The recent makeover has impressed people too.

Please contact me if you have any concerns about any licensed premises in Redlands.

Kebab van deferral

As reported in the Post this evening, last night's Licensing Committee decided to defer consideration of the "Peeps" kebab van, which trades on Shinfield Rd, at the bus stop near the junction with Christchurch, Redlands and Elmhurst roads.

Daisy and I have both had worries about this trader, both due to the behaviour of customers late at night, as well as access for wheelchair users to Reading Buses. We've submitted objections accordingly.

Unfortunately the case will not now be considered until January (and the van will trade until this time).