Apologies for absence were received from Councillor McDonald (no substitute).

No interests were declared at the meeting.

Resolved:-

That the Minutes of the Meeting held on Thursday, 23^rd July 2020 be received, confirmed as a correct record and signed.

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Executive Director (Neighbourhoods and the Environment) concerning an application by Andros Steven Stavrou for the renewal of a Sexual Entertainment Venue Licence in respect of Pink Papers, The Stables, Lucy Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 2AU.

The application was presented by Mr G Gouriet QC (Barrister).  The Applicants Solicitor, Mr A Murrell was also in attendance and gave evidence. 

The Sub-Committee noted that letters of objection had been received from two residents, one of whom did not attend the hearing.  The objectors’ principal concerns are the location of the premises, its effect the surrounding environment, issues of anti-social behaviour given that the premises were located in an area covered by a Public Spaces Protection Order and the Council’s Policy which aims to reduce the number of SEVs within the Borough to zero.

The Sub-Committee considered all the evidence and submissions that had been made at the meeting and the written reports and documentation that had been presented prior to the hearing.  The Sub-Committee also had regard to Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 (adopted pursuant to the Police and Crime Act 2009) and the Council’s Policy for controlling sex establishments.

Resolved:

That the application be the application, subject to the existing operating conditions to the current licence set out in Appendix 1 to the report of the Interim Executive Director (Neighbourhoods and the Environment), together with the following additional conditions:

•  “A revised plan of the premises, which shall include the locations of all of the CCTV cameras detailed in the application (both internal and external), shall be submitted to the Licensing Authority within one month of this decision.”

•  “The Dress Code for Performers as detailed in the Dancer Handbook 2020 shall be amended to clearly specify the dress code and shall include the wording set out in Condition No. 64 namely that Dancers shall be fully clothed (i.e. no nudity) when not performing.”

•“The Customers’ Code of Conduct for Patrons shall be amended by the addition of, but not limited to, the following:

Whilst outside or leaving the premises, all customers, must not loiter unnecessarily and vacate the immediate vicinity in such a way as to cause minimum disturbance or nuisance to neighbours both residential and business and to make the minimum impact upon the neighbourhood in relation to potential nuisance, anti-social behaviour, crime and disorder.”