Agenda item
Licensing Act 2003: Application for a Premises Licence for (Silver Sockeye) Wapping Pier, King Henry's Stairs, Wapping High Street, London E1W 2NR
Minutes:
At the request of the Chair, Mr Mohshin Ali, Senior Licensing Officer, introduced the report which detailed the application for a licence for Silver Sockeye, Wapping Pier, King Henry’s Stairs, Wapping High Street, London E1W 2NR. It was noted that representations had been made by local residents.
Mr Andrew Woods, the Applicant’s legal representative, explained the licence was for a private hire river boat, which would be moored at Wapping Pier. Mr Woods said the conditions offered by the Applicant in the operating schedule made clear, members of the public would not be embarking or disembarking from the boat at this location. The mooring would be the home of the river boat with a maximum of three members of staff using Wapping Pier when leaving or returning to the pier. There would be no music or alcohol on board when the boat is moored.
Mr Woods said this was a family run business that had been in operation since 1947, and which had two other similar vessels. He said the application for the sale of alcohol and regulated entertainment related to when the boat would be on the river, and not when it is moored at the pier.
There were no objectors in attendance at the meeting. However the Sub-Committee noted their concerns in relation to public nuisance, in particular noise disturbance of passengers embarking and disembarking.
In response to questions from Members, the following was noted:
· The maximum capacity of the boat is 195 passengers and crew. However the average party group consisted of 60 to 80 people. The boat is hired mainly for corporate events.
· The boat has recently operated under a Temporary Event Notice, in relation to an event involving 70 guests in respect of which there were no complaints
· The timings applied for (6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.) make allowance for the rare occasion a party runs later than midnight. However on average a party would normally cease at 10:00 p.m. or 11:00 p.m. It is also to ensure the timings are consistent with the times operated by the other boats run by the business making it easier to offer clients flexibility in hiring across the fleet of boats.
· The Applicant reassured Members that no guests would be embarking or disembarking from the boat at Wapping Pier. It was the boat’s home, and so it would only be moored at the Pier.
Members adjourned the meeting at 18:53 hours for deliberations and reconvened at 19:32 hours.
The Licensing Objectives
In considering the application, Members were required to consider the same in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003 (as amended), the Licensing Objectives, the Home Office Guidance and the Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy and in particular to have regard to the promotion of the four licensing objectives:
1. The Prevention of Crime and Disorder
2. Public Safety
3. The Prevention of Public Nuisances; and
4. The Protection of Children from Harm
Consideration
Each application must be considered on its own merit. The Chair confirmed that the Sub-Committee had carefully considered all of the evidence before them, the written representations of the objectors and the oral representations from the Applicant’s Legal Representative, with particular regard to public nuisance.
The Sub-Committee noted the licence was for a private hire river boat, which would be moored at Wapping Pier, King Henry’s Stairs, Wapping High Street, London E1W 2NR. The Sub-Committee noted the conditions offered by the Applicant as part of the operating schedule and the conditions agreed with the Environmental Protection Team.
The Sub-Committee noted the concerns of local residents with regard to public nuisance and noise emanating from recorded music. However the Sub-Committee were reassured by the Applicant’s legal representative, that the hours applied for regulated entertainment, related to when the boat would be on the river and not when it was moored at the pier. Members were informed a maximum of three members of staff would embark and disembark from the boat at Wapping Pier and no music or alcohol would be permitted at this location.
The Sub-Committee were satisfied the licensing objectives would be promoted and the conditions on the licence would effectively mitigate the risk of noise nuisance. The Sub-Committee was also satisfied the conditions imposed would help alleviate the concerns raised by the objectors.
Accordingly, the Sub-Committee unanimously
RESOLVED
That the application for a premises licence for Silver Sockeye, Wapping Pier, King Henry’s Stairs, Wapping High Street, London E1W 2NR be GRANTED with conditions.
The sale by retail of alcohol – On sales only
Monday to Sunday, from 06:00 hrs to 02:00 hrs the following day
The provision of late night refreshment – indoors
Monday to Sunday, from 23:00 hrs to 02:00 hrs the following day
The provision of regulated entertainment – Indoors and outdoors
(Live music and recorded music)
Monday to Sunday, from 06:00 hrs to 02:00 hrs the following day
Conditions
1.1 Guests shall not embark or disembark the premises from the Wapping Pier address. All guests shall be picked up and dropped off at other Central London piers. Only staff will arrive or leave from this pier.
1.2 Alcohol will only be sold for consumption by persons on a pre-booked event and/or private function not to the general public.
1.3 Effective training of staff to have understanding and awareness of the premises licence and the requirements to meet the licensing objectives.
1.4 The premises shall sign up to the Best Bar None scheme.
1.5 The premises shall have a zero tolerance drugs policy in place.
1.6 An incident log shall be kept on the premises and shall be made available to the council or the police on request.
1.7 A record shall be kept detailing all refused sales of alcohol. The record shall include the date/time of the refused sale and the name of the member of staff who refused the sale. The record shall be available at the premises for inspection by authorised officers on request.
1.8 Bottles or glasses shall not be taken off the premises
1.9 The premises licence holder shall ensure that all waste and recycling is lawfully disposed of, subject to bottles and cans not being disposed of into open receptacles in the vicinity of Wapping Pier.
1.10 A Challenge 25 proof of age scheme shall be operated at the premises where the only acceptable forms of identification are recognised photographic identification cards, such as a driving licence, passport or proof of age card with the PASS Hologram”.
1.11 Loudspeakers shall not be located in the entrance doors or outside area of the boat.
1.12 Whenever the boat is moored at Wapping Pier, it will not have any customers on board.
1.13 Whenever the boat is moored at Wapping Pier, there will be no music played on board.
1.14 There will be no kitchen on board the boat.
Supporting documents:
- WappingPier.SilverSockeye, item 5. PDF 350 KB
- WappingPier.SilverSockeye.RED, item 5. PDF 4 MB
- Silver Sockeye 031219_Redacted, item 5. PDF 47 KB
- Letter to Council - Silver Sockeye - Hearing-KL20191128110215569, item 5. PDF 146 KB