Hastings Pier seeks new licensing arrangements

On Wednesday (April 23), a Hastings Borough Council licensing panel is due to consider a pair of applications from pier owner Sheikh Abid Gulzar, which seek to create new premises licences covering the landmark’s event area and “middle building”.

The hearing is being held as a result of representations from a group of five residents living in White Rock Gardens.

In a report, council officers note how the new licences would allow for each individual part of the pier to have its own conditions, hours of operation and Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS). The two applications both name Saddick Sallahi, a 24-year-old personal licence holder, as the intended DPS.

Officers also note how the existing licence, which currently covers the whole of the pier, is expected to be varied so that it covers a group of smaller food outlets at the front of the structure. They say this application for variation has yet to be made.

Both applications seek permission for a range of licensed activities, including performances of live music and the sale of alcohol. The applications had initially sought the ability to conduct all of these activities until midnight, seven days a week. These would have mostly applied from 8am for the events space and from 10am for the middle building.

The proposed hours of operation have been amended, with most of the activities now expected to cease at 11pm. There would be an exception for late night refreshments, i.e. the sale of hot food and drinks after 11pm, which would be able to continue until midnight in both spaces. The middle building would also have slightly longer hours for the sale of alcohol than the event space, being able to serve such drinks until 11.30pm each night.

These activities will mostly commence from 8am for the events space and from 10am for the middle building.

There would also be an exception for events held on New Years’ Eve. On this night, it is proposed, both parts of the venue would be able to conduct their licensable activities — including performances of live music, the sale of alcohol and the sale of late night refreshments — until 2am. This is reduced from a 4.30am finish, sought in the initial applications.

In their representations, the residents of White Rock Gardens had focused their concerns on large events — those where more than 1,500 tickets would be available for purchase.

They said they were ‘not opposed to events in principle’, but said the previous frequency and duration of these events had been “substantially interfering with the enjoyment of a home for very many residents.”

The residents said such events: should not be allowed on consecutive days of the weekend; should be limited in number each year; and should either finish earlier, be moved inside or be reduced in volume after 8pm.

The officers’ report also notes how an objection has been raised by the council’s planning department. It says the pier, through a separate process, would need to secure planning permission before it could operate the hours it is requesting through the licensing applications.

The applicant (in negotiations with council officers) has agreed to limit the pier to holding no more than 20 large events each year, which the report notes would be held over 10 weekends.

The applicant has also agreed for all of these events to be accompanied by an overall management plan, which would need to be submitted at least two months in advance. This plan would need to set out arrangements for the provision of medical cover, as well as security staff and stewards among other things.

As part of this, the licence holder and event organisers (including external promoters) would also be required to engage and agree event-specific arrangements with Hastings Borough Council’s Safety Advisory Group.

Agreed conditions would also require a “detailed Noise Management Plan” for the large events. As part of this, the applicant would have active noise monitoring and management arrangements, as well as a noise complaints hotline.