Hastings councillors grant licence for bar in former Debenhams building

On Monday (October 20), a Hastings Borough Council licensing panel granted a premises licence, which will allow a bar — trading as Players Sports Bar — to operate within the currently vacant building, with access from Robertson Terrace.

The approved licence will permit on and off-sales of alcohol, the showing of live/recorded sports and the hosting of indoor sporting events, including table tennis, snooker, pool, darts, shuffleboard and bowling.

The applicant, Hastings-based businessman Thomas Cosens, said he intended the business to be a “family-oriented” premises, which focuses on its indoor sports offering over drink sales.

The hearing had been called as a result of objections from some local residents, including several people living within Albany Court — a neighbouring apartment building.

Several had raised concerns about noise, particularly in connection with the business’s bowling proposals, as the activity had been a source of friction between them and Owens, the building’s previous tenant.

Mr Cosens had agreed to a condition, which would prevent the bowling alley from being used until an engineer assesses the facility and recommends appropriate noise mitigation measures.

Mr Cosens, who ran the 180 Sports Bar in Albert Road until February this year, also confirmed the licence would not allow for live music performances within the premises.

He had also agreed to amend his requested operating hours to fit in with the council’s licensing matrix — a document which sets out the way in which licenced businesses are expected to operate within certain parts of the town.

The application had initially sought opening hours of between midday and 10pm on Mondays, until 11pm from Tuesday to Thursday, until 11.30pm on on Friday and Saturday nights and until 8pm on Sundays.

The amended hours (as agreed by the panel) are largely the same, except the business would close at 10.30pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights instead of 11pm. Mr Cosens also noted how the sale of alcohol would always cease 30 minutes before closing, in line with conditions requested by Sussex Police.

It was noted how these hours would not overcome an objection raised by the council’s planning department. This objection was based on the proposed licence operating in breach of conditions attached to a planning application approved earlier this year (reference HS/FA/25/00205).

According to planning officers, the conditions attached to this application means there are restricted opening hours for the premises — between 8am and 10pm Monday to Saturday and between 10am and 6pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

The planning conditions would also prevent the building being used as a bar, as it would not fall within a permitted use class.

Mr Cosens confirmed that an updated planning consent would be sought were the licence to be granted. The panel opted to formalise this commitment through an additional condition requiring planning permission to be granted “prior to commencement to trading”.

The panel also imposed additional conditions which will limit the number of people permitted to be within the bar’s outdoor smoking area; prohibit indoor vaping; and require anyone under the age of 18 to be accompanied by an adult while on the premises.