Brentford Pub Refused Licence Extension

Objectors to application by New Inn said there had been problems with noise

The New Inn. Picture: Google Streetview

The Hounslow Council's Licensing Committee have refused an application by the New Inn pub for an extension of their opening hours.

The pub is currently open until 11pm during the week and 10.30pm on Sundays but the landlord wished to extend this to midnight during the week and 2am at the weekends. The premises has a bar serving a range of traditional and specialised beers, lagers and wines with a separate restaurant area at the rear. There is also an external garden and a covered area for smokers.

The New Inn is in a largely residential area and there were 15 representations made against the application with one in support. Four people addressed the panel to speak against the request.

The objections were based on the prevention of public nuisance with claims made that customers departing the premises made excessive noise and loitered around the area causing disruption to local residents. It was also alleged that windows had been kept open during live music performances at the venue requiring neighbours to have to call round to request they were closed. A complaint about anti-social behaviour was raised relating to incidents of urination in a resident’s driveways and vomiting in the streets.

The objectors were strongly of the view that the current levels of noise and anti-social behaviour were already a problem and that this would only get worse should the variation be granted.

One of the objectors, whose property looks directly on to the beer garden, also referred to an incident where she attempted to take a photo of customers in the garden and then faced abuse from them.

The applicant, Brian Hogan, said that he was seeking the variation as he was losing business to other pubs in the area which had longer opening hours and highlighted another pub in Hanwell, approximately 3 miles away, which remained open until around 2.00am. With Brentford Football Club ground due to close and relocate next year this was likely to put further pressure on the business. At the moment customers leave the pub to go to others in the area with longer licensing hours when the New Inn is required to stop serving.

He added that he had regular meetings with the Police and had also liaised with the Police and Licensing Authority and had not been told of any licensing issues. In relation to the beer garden, the Applicant stated that if he came across any issue he dealt with it straight away.

He did disputed the report that customers were urinating and vomiting in a resident’s front garden, saying that he had checked the CCTV cameras for the time in question.

Having heard all the submissions, the Panel decided that the application to vary the premises licence was therefore refused.

September 4, 2019