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.
