The Statutory Licensing Sub-Committee of Wolverhampton Council scheduled a meeting to discuss a licensing application. The main item for consideration was an application for a new premises licence for The Pendulum Bar and Grill. The report pack included the application and objections from the police, the council's licensing authority and environmental health department, the fire service, public health, and local residents.

Licensing Act 2003 Application for The Pendulum Bar and Grill

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider an application from Tajinder Singh for a new premises licence for The Pendulum Bar and Grill, Blaydon Road, Wolverhampton, WV9 5NP. The application requested permission to provide late-night refreshments and sell/supply alcohol on the premises.

According to the application form, Tajinder Singh, with agent Anil Bhawsar of Licensing Hub, was applying for a licence to allow the premises to:

• Open from 7am to 11pm Sunday to Thursday
• Open from 7am to 1am Friday and Saturday
• Serve alcohol from 7am to 11pm Sunday to Thursday
• Serve alcohol from 7am to 1am Friday and Saturday
• Provide late night refreshment from 11pm to 1am Friday and Saturday

The applicant described the premises as:

THIS IS A PUB WHICH PREVIOUSLY HAD A LICENCE BEFORE CLOSING DOWN. PROPOSING TO BE REFURBISHED AND REOPEN TO SELL ALCOHOL AND FOOD .

The application stated that Mr Singh also runs The Jolly Sailor, The Railway Inn, Port N Ale, The Firs and Fradley Arms.

The report pack included representations from various bodies and individuals, including:

• West Midlands Police: Objecting to the application because it did not fully outline how the applicant intended to uphold the four licensing objectives¹.
• Licensing Authority: Raising concerns that there was insufficient information within the operating schedule to show how the applicant would address the licensing objectives relating to the prevention of crime and disorder, and public nuisance.
• Environmental Health: Objecting on the grounds of prevention of public nuisance, stating there was insufficient information on how the applicant intended to control noise and vibration from the premises affecting nearby residential properties.
• West Midlands Fire Service: Raising concerns about fire safety issues, including that a building regulation application appeared to be required but had not been done, the safe capacity would need to be restricted due to the proposed layout of fire exits, the emergency lighting needed upgrading, the standards of fire resistance for the proposed furniture and decorations could not be confirmed, and the standard of the fire alarm system could not be confirmed.
• Public Health: Objecting with a primary focus on prevention of crime and disorder and the protection of children from harm, stating that Wolverhampton exhibits one of the highest alcohol-specific mortality rates, and that there were notable gaps in the proposal, such as no reference to incident/ refusal logs.
• Local residents: Objecting on the grounds of prevention of crime and disorder, prevention of public nuisance, protection of children from harm, and public safety, raising concerns about noise, anti-social behaviour, and the impact on children attending the local school.

Following the concerns raised, mediation took place between the applicant and the relevant authorities. As a result, Anil Bhawsar, agent for Tajinder Singh, agreed to modify the premises licence application to include the following amendments to the operating schedule:

• The supply of alcohol and late night refreshments on Friday and Saturday would end at 12am instead of 1am.
• The previous premises licence holder, Soran Rostam, would have no involvement with the operation nor management of the business.
• Signs would be displayed visible at all premises exits to request that customers leave the premises and area quietly.
• The licence holder would ensure that adequate measures are in place to remove litter of waste arising from their customers and to prevent litter from accumulating in the immediate vicinity of their premises.
• No alcohol would be taken into or consumed in the smoking area between 10pm and close.
• No alcoholic drinks would be taken by customers for the consumption off the premises.
• Open containers must be surrendered prior to leaving the premises.
• Outside tables and chairs (in the beer garden) would be rendered unusable by 10pm each day and no service would take place outside the building after this time.

Following these amendments, the Licensing Authority, West Midlands Police, and Public Health all confirmed that their concerns had been allayed and that they no longer required a hearing, subject to no further representations from any other person or Responsible Authority.

Additionally, two local residents contacted the council to withdraw their objections following discussions with the licence holder.