OVERALL, I was disappointed with the outcome of the recent decision by Cotswold District Council’s (CDC) licensing sub-committee regarding the off-sale of alcohol at Seventeen Black in Cirencester.

A condition that the sale of alcohol should be accompanied by the sale of high-quality takeaway restaurant food and restricted to no later than 11pm was originally contended by the applicant but not part of the final decision.

This is when the real night-time economy, which extends until the early hours (3am or 4am) of the following morning, begins. 

And as we know from local police crime statistics this is the period which is accompanied by an increase in alcohol-related incidents of criminal damage and violence against the person.

Both categories have seen a significant increase in the town centre comparing the statistics for the 12 months ended September 2016, with the same period three years previously where the consumption of alcohol is thought to be a contributory factor. 

I would have thought that tying the off-sale of alcohol to the sale of food restricted to the period before the night-time economy begins would have been a reasonable condition to impose. 

But very clearly the licensing sub committee thought differently, no doubt compelled by the fact that other licensed premises are permitted to make off-sales of alcohol whether accompanied by food or not after 11pm. 

Instead, they contented themselves with imposing a condition that unopened bottles of beer, wine or spirits placed in re-sealable high visibility bags before leaving the premises as required by police licensing officers would meet the aims of the Licensing Act to prevent crime and disorder, ensure public safety, prevent public nuisance, and ensure the protection of children.

Personally, I am not convinced, taking the view along with some others, including my own committee, that the off-sale of alcohol from licensed premises into the very late night or early hours of the next morning in circumstances where young people have already been drinking, risks placing commercial profit before public safety.

The police, themselves under pressure from cuts in manpower resources, cannot guarantee that a police officer would be on duty to stop people from drinking illegally within the town centre no-drinking zone, having opened bottles of beer, wine or spirits that they have removed from discarded re-sealable bags. 

But we are where we are, the licensing sub committee has made its decision on the best evidence before it, and it now only remains for that decision to be reported to the next planning committee meeting of the town council on November 10 which will decide whether to appeal it to the magistrates’ court. 

I think this is unlikely, given the need to be seen to be applying the licensing laws fairly and uniformly across licensed premises as a whole. 

Perhaps what is needed, though we are not there yet, is a wider debate on the safe operation of the night-time economy in Cirencester involving businesses operating licensed premises, the police and the town council.

CLLR STUART TARR 
Chairman of Cirencester Town Council planning committee