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Pubs and Clubs

If you have discos or entertainment, including live entertainment, at your venue you need a premises licence from the  Licensing department.  For all licensing queries contact the Licensing Officer on 01233 330721.Pub

If you do have music there are certain factors to consider:

  • What type of bands you will have in or will you have pre recorded music, will you use a DJ?  If so the microphone should not be heard outside the pub.  Music should be barely audible outside the premises.
  • It is advisable to have a sound limiter fitted so if the music goes above a certain level it cuts the power, this can be enforced if complaints are received
  • Where will you have the music?  Is it close to neighbouring properties?
  • What time will you have the music and for how long?  In residential areas you need to consider stopping at 11pm or at least be totally inaudible outside the pub itself
  • Ask your customers to leave quietly

Review of a licence

A local resident of business, or a residents’ or business association, can apply for the Local Authority to review a licence.  A Committee hearing will be held.  We may impose extra conditions on the licence.  We can also suspend either all or part of the licence for up to three months.  The Local Authority will only review licenses where the representations relate to one or more of the licensing objectives.

 

Before applying for a review, interested parties may want to consider whether their concern(s) could be effectively dealt with outside of the formal review process. This could involve, for example:

  • Talking to the licence or certificate holder to determine whether there are any steps they may be willing to take to rectify the situation
  • Asking the licensing department at your council to talk to the licensee on your behalf
  • Ask your local MP or Councillor to speak to the licence or certificate holder on your behalf
  • Talking to the relevant "responsible authority" (e.g. environmental health in relation to noise nuisance, or the police in relation to crime and disorder) to determine whether there is other legislation that could help resolve the issue

 

Before requesting a review you should contact the Licensing Officer James Hann on 01233 330721.

See our Problems with Premises webpage for more information.

Suggestions for evidence gathering for a review relating to noise

It is advisable to keep a log of events that have been a problem including date, start time, finish time, where you could hear the noise and how it affected you.  This will act as supporting information to your application for the review.  It is not necessary to have expert evidence (from eg. an Environmental Health Officer) when asking for a review. 

 

Review applications of a premises licence are made under section 51 while a review of a club premises certificate is under section 87. The person making the application has to give notice of his application to all parties involved including the local authority licensing section, the holder of the premises licence or club certificate.  A copy of the application and it’s accompanying documents, if any, should be given to all parties on the same day the application is made to the licensing authority. 

 

Reviews must be based on the licensing conditions only.  Representations that are vexatious, frivolous or a repetition will not trigger a review.  Where the authority rejects a ground for a review under section 51(4)(b) or section 87(4)(b) it will give the applicant will be advised of this in writing a soon as is reasonably practicable.

This webpage was updated on 12/21/2011

 

Ashford Borough Council, Civic Centre
Tannery Lane, Ashford TN23 1PL
Telephone: 01233 331111
Email: customer.care@ashford.gov.uk or view our contact us page.
Ashford Borough Council Ashford, Best Placed in Britain

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