Statement of Licensing Policy (2008) WCC - Westminster City Council

licence or a club premises certifi cate for the prevention of public nuisance. Butthis must be balanced by the potential impact on disorder which may resultfrom arbitrarily fi xed closing times. However, there is no general presumption infavour of lengthening licensing hours and the four licensing objectives shouldbe paramount considerations at all times.”The council does not accept that in the circumstances of Westminster the granting ofgenerally longer hours would result in a reduction in crime and disorder and publicnuisance. The Licensing Authority recognises that some degree of longer hours withregard to the sale of alcohol in pubs and bars will have some effect on people leavingsimultaneously as described in revised Guidance Paragraph 13.40. It is preparedgenerally to grant premises licences for hours that will provide for longer hours at theend of the week but that still enable people to travel home relatively easily by tubeand train while retaining opportunities for residents to have an additional respite onSunday. It may be that this additional time for the sale of alcohol will satisfy a numberof customers who wish to travel home reasonably conveniently by public transportwho otherwise would go on to premises with very much later hours. Hours later thanthese core hours will be considered on their merits in relation to other policies in theStatement of Licensing Policy. The council wishes to see a more diverse range andvariety of entertainment available later at night and will allow for greater fl exibility tothose premises that add to a more varied offer of entertainment and cultural activity.The council wishes to encourage a wider range of people to frequent the West Endboth so that they can enjoy what it has to offer and because a wider range of agegroups should act to curb anti-social behaviour. In doing this it will further the licensingobjectives of prevention of crime and disorder and public nuisance.2.3.4 The consideration of hours of operation will be in the context of the particularcircumstances of each application and the licensing objectives of preventingcrime and disorder and public nuisance. The hours at which noise may occur anddisturbance of residents’ rest, relaxation and sleep will be of particular concern. Ingeneral, the conditions will be framed to ensure that closing hours on nights whenresidents have to get up for work the next morning are earlier than when it is less likelythat they will have to do so.2.3.5 Activity associated with late night licensed premises may have an impact on thelocal environment and may cause public nuisance. The effect of noise is greater laterat night when ambient noise levels are lower and residents are at home relaxing orwishing to sleep. The Licensing Authority in considering the imposition of conditionswill focus on the most sensitive periods. For example, music noise from premisesusually occurs from mid-evening until either late evening or early morning, during39