Concern over new pub opening hours (From Gazette Series)

Concern over new pub opening hours

WORRIED homeowners have asked that time be called on the way licensing hours at local pubs are extended.

Residents of Wotton-under-Edge turned out in force to a town council meeting last week to express their concerns about the new licensing procedures.

Chairman Elizabeth Warren had to extend the public forum at the meeting from ten minutes to almost an hour because of worries the people of Wotton have about extended licenses at the White Lion, on Long Street, and the Royal Oak on Haw Street.

The White Lion has just won permission to extend its opening hours until midnight on Saturday and Sunday nights while the Royal Oak can now open until midnight from Sundays to Thursday and until 1am at weekends.

Residents present at the meeting, however, were more worried about the procedure now used to extend licensing hours rather than the longer hours themselves.

Under new Government laws, licensing hearings are now heard by the Licensing and Regulation Committees at local councils instead of Magistrate's courts.

Michael Crawford, who lives near the White Lion, told the meeting he was not convinced that the new system was working.

He said: "The whole process is flawed. The application to Stroud District Council on September 1 didn't get the hearing it deserved. "It came across as amateurish."

Residents from Haw Street who attended the Royal Oak hearing on September 15 expressed similar concerns about the procedure for applications.

They claimed representations made by interested parties had not been read and that the decision-making panel seemed unaware of the proximity of residents' homes to the pub.

After the district council meeting, homeowner Polly Holloway also claimed: "The chairman of the licensing body seemed unaware that it was the premises that is now licensed not the owner."

The town council took on board the public's concern and later in the meeting voted in favour of writing to the district council to appeal against the rulings and to convey concerns about the new procedure.

Council spokesman Dave Marshall said: "We've now done 15 of these meetings.

"The members concerned are very aware of the procedures. "People can rest assured that people are well rehearsed with the process."