The Statutory Licensing Sub-Committee of County Durham Council is scheduled to consider a Temporary Event Notice for Grace Kelly's in Seaham. The committee will review objections from Durham County Council's Environmental Health Department and Durham Constabulary regarding the proposed extended hours.

Temporary Event Notice for Grace Kelly's

The main item for discussion is a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) submitted by Rebecca Coulthard of One Lease Seaham Limited for Grace Kelly's, located at 6 North Terrace, Seaham SR7 7EU. The TEN requests extended trading hours from midnight to 3:00 am on Sunday, 28th June 2026, to allow patrons to watch live World Cup games.

Objections to this notice have been raised by Mr John Hayes of Durham County Council's Environmental Health Department and PC Gavin Rutter of Durham Constabulary. Both object on the grounds that the extended hours would undermine the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder and preventing public nuisance.

The report pack indicates that the TEN is for the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises and late-night refreshment for a maximum of 100 people. The premises currently holds a premises licence (DCCC/PLA0860) which permits alcohol sales until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and 11:30 pm on other days.

The report highlights that when a premises operates under a TEN, the conditions attached to its existing premises licence do not apply. Durham Constabulary notes that the England match scheduled for that date is a group stage fixture expected to conclude within the venue's existing licensed hours, and therefore questions the necessity of the extended hours. They also express concern that extending alcohol consumption hours into the early morning could increase the risk of alcohol-related crime and disorder.

Environmental Health's objection also references planning consent conditions for the premises, which stipulate that the ground floor units should not be open for business outside of the hours of 8:00 am to 11:00 pm. A previous application to vary this condition in 2018 was refused, with the reasoning that extending opening hours would be prejudicial to the amenity of nearby residents.

The Sub-Committee will consider whether to allow the event to proceed, allow it to proceed with conditions from the existing premises licence, or prohibit the event. They will take into account the objections, the Durham County Council Statement of Licensing Policy¹, and the Guidance issued to local authorities under Section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003².