LICENSING MATTERS FOR THE YEAR ENDING August 2007
RoseMary MusgraveThere has been a constant trickle of applications to vary licences – we win some and lose some. Central Clifton has had very few asking for longer hours and those were withdrawn before being heard.. It would seem that most licensees are content with closing at midnight with a 30 minute ‘drinking up’ time. There are no clubs in that area, unlike Whiteladies Road or The Triangle
We are most concerned about the number of licensed premises (mainly restaurants and an increasing number of smaller bars) in central Clifton and do oppose when the requested hours, or plans for the premise, are not satisfactory.
Since the ban on smoking in pubs a new problem has arisen – that of people going outside to smoke and taking their drinks with them. At some premises this is causing annoyance to nearby residents with noise and glasses being left on their window ledges or doorsteps. This situation cannot be unique to Bristol 8 and we are currently trying to find out what the law is about drinking in the street.
Remember that if you are troubled by late night noise, music or anything else coming from a licensed premise, it most important to keep a diary of this so that any complaint has a reliable, factual, back up. It also has to be borne in mind that some premises have a condition that they can hold 12 events each year which can go on later in the night than normal and that this might be a reason for a later than usual disturbance.