Thursday, 22 May 2008
Report from the Globe
I wasn't around, but there's a good report of Monday's meeting organised by the Globe's new owner here. "He seemed pretty resistant to the idea of closing earlier - he said that places that closed earlier didn't have the same sort of buzz as the ones that stayed open late, which was the sort of atmosphere he wanted to promote." Hmmmm.
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Town Council Meeting
On Monday night, Hay Town Council discussed the Globe's application for a New Premises License, and heard from Josie Evans, Powys County Council's Licensing Officer. She wasn't there to hear and comment on any objections, but rather to clarify people's understanding of 1)The Licensing process and how the imminent hearing will work, and 2)What considerations are relevant to the decision.
10 or so concerned members of the public contributed to the meeting; no-one from the Globe showed up. The most important information to arise was that if the issues of parking (and road safety) and drunkenness and anti-social behaviour are going to be successfully raised, they have to be brought to the attention of Dyfed-Powys Police's Licensing Officer (complicated, this!), who may then raise their concerns at the hearing. I dare say they should also be alerted to worries about noise.
The upshot: as well as writing to Powys County Council's Licensing Officer, anyone with worries about The Globe's application should also write to Dyfed-Powys Police. The address is:
Nicola Davies, The Licensing Officer, Dyfed-Powys Police, The Police Station, Severn Road, Welshpool, Powys SY21 7AR.
We put round a leaflet about this last night. Letters should reach them by the 19th or 20th of May.
10 or so concerned members of the public contributed to the meeting; no-one from the Globe showed up. The most important information to arise was that if the issues of parking (and road safety) and drunkenness and anti-social behaviour are going to be successfully raised, they have to be brought to the attention of Dyfed-Powys Police's Licensing Officer (complicated, this!), who may then raise their concerns at the hearing. I dare say they should also be alerted to worries about noise.
The upshot: as well as writing to Powys County Council's Licensing Officer, anyone with worries about The Globe's application should also write to Dyfed-Powys Police. The address is:
Nicola Davies, The Licensing Officer, Dyfed-Powys Police, The Police Station, Severn Road, Welshpool, Powys SY21 7AR.
We put round a leaflet about this last night. Letters should reach them by the 19th or 20th of May.
Saturday, 10 May 2008
Report from H.E.L.P's public meeting
So – Thursday night saw a public meeting held by H.E.L.P (Hay - Enough Licensed Premises!) to discuss widespread fears and concerns about new plans for the Globe Gallery, and more specifically an application for a New Premises license submitted to Powys County Council.
Due to public demand, it was shifted from Hay’s Town Council Chamber to the Primary School on Oxford Road. The meeting was addressed and chaired by John Harris, who lives on Broad Street (and wrote this!), and also benefited from a pre-announced contribution from Gareth Ratcliffe, Hay’s newly-elected County Councillor – and the presence of Mandy Houghton, who is in charge of the Globe’s proposed redevelopment.
The turnout numbered around 70, and the tone of the meeting was calm, polite and very insightful. In just over an hour, we heard from local people about a long list of worries, but a handful of people also came to voice their support for the plans.
Just to recap: the Globe’s Licensing Application seeks a late night refreshments licence covering both indoors and outdoors from 11pm to 2am, Sundays to Thursdays, and 11pm to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays – and an alcohol licence for 10am-2am Sunday-Thursday and 10am – 3am Fridays and Saturdays . During the Hay Festival, on New Year’s Eve and on Bank Holiday Weekends, they want to be able to open 24 hours a day. They also want permission to stage live and recorded music events (as well as plays, films, dancing and “anything of a similar description”) until midnight, every day of the week, and over 24 hours during the festival, on Bank Holiday weekends etc.
The key concerns raised at the meeting were:
That Hay already has an anti-social behaviour problem related to alcohol, and that irrespective of the owners’ ideal clientele, a new licensed premises open much later than the town’s existing ones would exacerbate it. As one man put it, “if the Globe is open when they’re not, people will come down there.” The fact that policing in Hay is so light-touch (to say the least!) is a big part of these worries.
That parking – particularly in the evening - on Broad Street is already a free-for-all, and a new venue with no dedicated parking spaces would add to that problem.
That Heol-Y-Dwr, Broad Street, Bear Street etc. are residential areas, and premises that were licensed not only for alcohol but night-time entertainment would create real problems for the scores of people living there.
Aside those concerns, other fears came to light. The Globe is not soundproofed. The plans for – to quote from a leaflet issued by the Globe – “exhibitions, talks, video art… films, performance” etc. are at the moment only vague ideas. The same applies to “proposed” ideas for activities for children and families. The only specific plans on the public record are their aims to open a venue with a bar that will be open late.
The focus and level of people’s objections inevitably seem to be varied. Some people are prepared to accept if the Globe’s plans for arts events come to eventual fruition, a venue without an alcohol license would allay most or all of their fears (Mandy Houghton, who works for the Globe’s new owners, said she might accept this solution, at least in principle). Some remain worried about issues around noise, parking and safety that even an unlicensed premises would create. As mentioned earlier, a small handful of people welcomed the Globe’s plans for arts events and the promise of a licensed “café” to accompany them.
There's another account of the meeting at the 'Life in Hay' blog, which is here.
The next chapter of the story is a Town Council Meeting on Monday night, at which Powys County Council’s Licensing Officer will be present, and some members of the public will be invited to voice their thoughts about the Globe’s Application. A report will follow….
There’s some useful material about what to do if you’re a local resident concerned about a licensing application at the Department Of Culture, Media and Sport’s website here.
Meanwhile, remember: the deadline for letters voicing concerns about the application is Thursday May 22nd. They have to be sent by post. They should be addressed to:
The Licensing Officer, Powys County Council, Neuadd Brycheiniog, Cambrian Way, Brecon, Powys LD3 7HR.
Due to public demand, it was shifted from Hay’s Town Council Chamber to the Primary School on Oxford Road. The meeting was addressed and chaired by John Harris, who lives on Broad Street (and wrote this!), and also benefited from a pre-announced contribution from Gareth Ratcliffe, Hay’s newly-elected County Councillor – and the presence of Mandy Houghton, who is in charge of the Globe’s proposed redevelopment.
The turnout numbered around 70, and the tone of the meeting was calm, polite and very insightful. In just over an hour, we heard from local people about a long list of worries, but a handful of people also came to voice their support for the plans.
Just to recap: the Globe’s Licensing Application seeks a late night refreshments licence covering both indoors and outdoors from 11pm to 2am, Sundays to Thursdays, and 11pm to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays – and an alcohol licence for 10am-2am Sunday-Thursday and 10am – 3am Fridays and Saturdays . During the Hay Festival, on New Year’s Eve and on Bank Holiday Weekends, they want to be able to open 24 hours a day. They also want permission to stage live and recorded music events (as well as plays, films, dancing and “anything of a similar description”) until midnight, every day of the week, and over 24 hours during the festival, on Bank Holiday weekends etc.
The key concerns raised at the meeting were:
That Hay already has an anti-social behaviour problem related to alcohol, and that irrespective of the owners’ ideal clientele, a new licensed premises open much later than the town’s existing ones would exacerbate it. As one man put it, “if the Globe is open when they’re not, people will come down there.” The fact that policing in Hay is so light-touch (to say the least!) is a big part of these worries.
That parking – particularly in the evening - on Broad Street is already a free-for-all, and a new venue with no dedicated parking spaces would add to that problem.
That Heol-Y-Dwr, Broad Street, Bear Street etc. are residential areas, and premises that were licensed not only for alcohol but night-time entertainment would create real problems for the scores of people living there.
Aside those concerns, other fears came to light. The Globe is not soundproofed. The plans for – to quote from a leaflet issued by the Globe – “exhibitions, talks, video art… films, performance” etc. are at the moment only vague ideas. The same applies to “proposed” ideas for activities for children and families. The only specific plans on the public record are their aims to open a venue with a bar that will be open late.
The focus and level of people’s objections inevitably seem to be varied. Some people are prepared to accept if the Globe’s plans for arts events come to eventual fruition, a venue without an alcohol license would allay most or all of their fears (Mandy Houghton, who works for the Globe’s new owners, said she might accept this solution, at least in principle). Some remain worried about issues around noise, parking and safety that even an unlicensed premises would create. As mentioned earlier, a small handful of people welcomed the Globe’s plans for arts events and the promise of a licensed “café” to accompany them.
There's another account of the meeting at the 'Life in Hay' blog, which is here.
The next chapter of the story is a Town Council Meeting on Monday night, at which Powys County Council’s Licensing Officer will be present, and some members of the public will be invited to voice their thoughts about the Globe’s Application. A report will follow….
There’s some useful material about what to do if you’re a local resident concerned about a licensing application at the Department Of Culture, Media and Sport’s website here.
Meanwhile, remember: the deadline for letters voicing concerns about the application is Thursday May 22nd. They have to be sent by post. They should be addressed to:
The Licensing Officer, Powys County Council, Neuadd Brycheiniog, Cambrian Way, Brecon, Powys LD3 7HR.
Thursday, 8 May 2008
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