Agenda item

The Regulatory Officer (Licensing) introduced the report to the Sub-Committee and outlined the application and the licence that was being applied for. He also provided them with a summary of actions that had taken place since the meeting had been adjourned on 2^nd April 2026.

He explained that the Police had drafted a set of conditions which had been accepted by the applicant and that following the applicant’s acceptance of the proposed conditions the Police withdrew their representation via e-mail.

He informed the Sub-Committee that the B&NES’ Health & Safety Team were updated on these discussions and provided with a copy of the accepted conditions. The B&NES’ Health & Safety Team commented on the conditions and asked for further clarification on some of their concerns raised in their original representation.

The B&NES’ Health & Safety Team’s questions were forwarded to the Applicant for them to respond to. The Applicant replied to B&NES’ Health & Safety Team’s questions, via e-mail and this was forwarded to the Health & Safety Team. The B&NES’ Health & Safety Team have withdrawn their representation via e-mail.

He stated that there are no further live representations regarding this application.

The applicant, Mr Paul Wadsworth addressed the Sub-Committee and said that he had nothing further to add at this stage.

Councillor Shaun Hughes commented that he was pleased that both the Police and the B&NES’ Health & Safety Team were happy with the conditions that had been proposed. He asked the applicant to consider amending the times for the sale of alcohol to cease prior to the closing down time of each day of the event.

Mr Wadsworth asked if a period of 30 minutes before closure would be sufficient.

The Regulatory Officer (Licensing) replied that this would be the normal practice.

Mr Wadsworth said that he would accept that as a condition of the licence and cease selling alcohol 30 minutes before the closing down time of each day of the event.

Decision & Reasons

Members have determined an application for a new Premises Licence at High Acres, Tunley, Bath, BA2 0DR. In doing so they have taken into consideration the Licensing Act 2003, Statutory Guidance, the Council’s Policy, Human Rights Act 1998 and case law. 

This matter was before the Licensing Sub-Committee on 2^nd April 2026 when it was adjourned pursuant to regulation 12 of the Licensing Act (Hearings) Regulations 2005 on the basis that Members considered this to be necessary for the consideration of the representations.

Members are aware that the proper approach under the Licensing Act is to be reluctant to regulate in the absence of evidence and must only do what is appropriate and proportionate in the promotion of the licensing objectives on the information before them. Members reminded themselves that each application must be considered on its own merits. 

Mr Wadsworth appeared before Members as the applicant. He confirmed to Members that an agreement had been reached between him, the police and the Council’s Health and Safety section of the Public Protection Team in relation to proposed conditions to promote the licensing objective of Public Safety, in support of the application; those conditions can be found at Annex E of the agenda report pack.

Members noted that when this matter first came before them on 2^nd April there were objections to the application from Rebecca Wilkinson Event Safety Advisor for Avon and Somerset Police and from Sara Chiffers Specialist Officer for Health and Safety in the Public Protection Team at BANES, both of whom raised concerns that the proposal would undermine the Public Safety licensing objective. 

Since the hearing on 2^nd April, the police and the Council’s Public Protection Team had the opportunity to review the draft conditions contained at Annex E which they were satisfied with. Consequently, they had withdrawn their objections to the application.

Members are satisfied on the evidence before them that the conditions agreed to by the applicant, the police and Public Protection Team would promote the Public Safety licensing objective and they are content to grant the licence in accordance with the operating schedule (subject to the changes indicated below) and the following additional conditions that were agreed to which the Sub-Committee consider to be appropriate and proportionate in the promotion of the Public Safety licensing objective:

Conditions as per the Operating Schedule

Licence – period of use

This licence will be in effect for Friday 26 June, Saturday 27 June and Sunday 28 June 2026 and will expire at the end of that period.

Capacity

The maximum capacity of the event will be 700 people including staff, performers, and all other attendees.

Ticketing

The event authorised by this licence shall be attended only by those who have booked a ticket in advance or have received an invitation. No tickets shall be available to purchase on the gate

Age verification – ‘Challenge 25’

Evidence of age in the form of photographic identification (ID) shall be requested from any person appearing to those selling or supplying alcohol to be under the age of 25 and who is attempting to buy alcohol.

Acceptable identification for the purpose of this condition includes:

? Current passport or an equivalent form of identification such as a national identity card with a photograph and date of birth;

 ? Current photographic driving licence or provisional licence with date of birth;

? Military identification card with a photograph and date of birth; and

? A Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) approved age card.

Notices shall be strategically and prominently placed at points of sale advising customers that they may be asked to provide evidence of age.

A refusals book, to record every instance that sales of alcohol are refused, shall be Maintained

The refusals book shall document the date and time a refusal of sale is made and the member of staff refusing the sale.

The refusal book shall be available for inspection by the police or authorised Local Authority,

Signage

The premises shall display prominent signage indicating at any point of sale that a Challenge 25 scheme is in operation.

Noise

The event organisers will take necessary steps to ensure minimum noise disruption to neighbouring properties and the general area.

A telephone number shall be made available and displayed in a prominent location where it can conveniently be read from the exterior of the premises by the public for local residents to contact in the case of noise-nuisance or anti-social behaviour by persons or activities associated with the premises. The telephone number will be a direct number to the management who are in control during opening hours. A record will be kept by management of all calls received, including the time, date, and information of the caller, including action taken following the call.

Records will be made available for inspection and copying by an authorised officer of a responsible authority throughout the trading hours of the premises.

Conditions from the Operation Schedule subject to changes

Security, incidents

An incident logbook shall be kept and maintained on the premises. The log shall be used to record incidents that occur on the premises and carry a significant risk of leading to crime and disorder, prejudice to public safety, public nuisance or harm to children.

The log will include the date and time, the name of the member of staff making the record, along with the details of the incident and any action taken.

The incident logbook shall be available for inspection by the police or authorised Local Authority officers.

An incident logbook shall be kept and maintained on the premises and made available on request to the Police or the Licensing Authority that will record the following:

i)  All crime reported to the venue

ii)  All ejections of patrons

iii)  Any complaints received

iv)  Any incidents of disorder

v)  All seizures of drugs or weapons

Any person found to be dealing drugs will be detained and the police informed immediately.

Drugs seized will be logged, stored securely and handed over to the police.

Staffing, training

All staff shall be trained before they are allowed to sell alcohol to the public.

Records of staff training, along with any training material used, must be kept by the Designated Premises Supervisor or Premises Licence Holder.

All training records shall be signed by the trainer and trainee in respect of training received.

The Premises Licence Holder shall implement a training manual and all members of staff shall be suitably trained in underage sales prevention before they are allowed to make any sales of alcohol.

The training records shall be available for inspection by the police or authorised Local Authority officers.

Security and stewarding

For each event that is held under the licence, the premises licence holder or designated premises supervisor will assess the number of SIA registered security staff and marshals/stewards required in order to ensure the safety and welfare of all patrons on site.

All assessments are to be retained for a period of 6 months and shall be available to inspect by authorised responsible authority officers upon request.

Additional conditions proposed by the police and agreed to by the applicant and BANES Public Protection Team

Responsibility of licence holder

For the event to be held under this licence, an Event Safety Management Document (specific to the event) shall be completed and shall as a minimum include:

i. An overview of the event

ii. Event management structure - including roles and responsibilities

iii. Site design including details and calculations in relation to any temporary structures

iv. Security and stewarding plan

v. Emergency evacuation / contingency plans

vi. Traffic/pedestrian management plan

vii. Medical plan

viii. Fire and general site risk assessments

ix. Severe weather plans

x. Sanitation and waste plans

xi. Noise management plan

xii. Lost and found children and vulnerable adults procedure

Together with details of the organisation, control, monitoring and review mechanisms as identified by the event specific risk assessment.

In all cases, this shall be submitted to the Licensing Authority, the Police and the Emergency Planning Authority at least four weeks in advance of the event.

No less than 4 weeks prior to the event the licence holder will provide to the Police and Local Authority evidence that gate of suitable width (having regard to ‘The Fire Safety Risk Assessment: Open Air Events and Venues and Purple Guide) has been installed and is in full working order in the fence line to the rear of the paddock to provide a satisfactory emergency exit route.

Evidence shall also be provided that the pedestrian gate to the camping and parking area has been replaced with a single swing mechanism gate of suitable width (having regard to ‘The Fire Safety Risk Assessment: Open Air Events and Venues and Purple Guide) to provide a satisfactory emergency exit route. If evidence cannot be provided that suitable emergency exit provision has been made, this licence shall not be valid.

Security Staff

A log shall be kept of any SIA authorised staff working at the premises and shall include their full name, date of birth, Security Industry Authority licence number, company and booking on-off times.

All security staff and other persons engaged at the premises, for the purposes of supervising or controlling queues or customers must wear high visibility jackets or vests or armbands.

Condition imposed by the Sub-Committee and agreed to by the applicant

The sale of alcohol must cease not less than 30 minutes prior to closing time.