Agenda and draft minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

It was confirmed that all items of business were marked Part I and would be considered in public.

None.

Introduction

Daniel Ferrer, Licensing Team Manager, introduced the application for a new Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) premises licence for ‘Little Vegas’, 14-16 Station Road, Hayes, UB3 4DA.

It was noted that the application from Chongie Entertainment UK Limited had been received on 9 February 2024. The period for consultation and the making of representations in respect of the application had ended on 7 March 2024.

The Sub-Committee heard that, during the consultation period, no representations had been received from responsible authorities. However, four representations had been received from interested parties - Cllr Janet Gardner, Ward Councillor; Mr David Brough, Hayes Town Partnership; Fr. Matthew Cashmore of St Anselm’s Church, Hayes; and Mr Habib Khaled.

It was confirmed that additional information provided by the applicant’s representative had been received on 19 April 2024 and had been circulated to all parties. This documentation had incorporated additional written submissions and further details of the applicant’s policies and procedures.

In response to questions from the Sub-Committee, it was confirmed that no Cumulative Impact Policy was in place and no representations had been received from any of the responsible authorities.

The Applicant/The Applicant’s Representative

The applicant’s legal representative, Mr Paddy Whur, addressed the Sub-Committee confirming that the applicant’s case summary and additional information in respect of their policies and procedures had been provided to all parties in advance of the hearing.

The Sub-Committee was advised that a Local Area Risk Assessment (LARA) had been carried out to consider any local risks and how these could be mitigated. The applicant had reached out to all responsible authorities before submitting the application; said authorities had raised no concerns given the Company’s excellent track record and the detailed LARA. The applicant had indicated his willingness to meet with the interested parties who had submitted representations, but none had accepted the offer.

The Panel was informed that the applicant, Chongie Entertainment UK Limited, currently had 26 Adult Gaming Centres in operation. Some of the applications had attracted opposition initially but all had been granted. Members heard that all 26 AGCs had been trading successfully with no issues; this could be attributed to the company’s excellent training programme and polices. It was confirmed that the applicant, Darren Hughes, had significant experience in the sector. The Sub-Committee was reminded that the Gambling Act was liberal and permissive; local authorities should aim to permit applications wherever possible.

It was confirmed that Adult Gaming Centres differed from betting shops in a number of ways. AGCs appealed more to a female audience than betting shops did, and customers tended to stay at AGCs for a shorter period of time. Moreover, in AGCs staff were always on hand to engage with customers.

The Sub-Committee was reassured that Chongie offered an excellent training package to all staff. A few times each year, representatives of ‘Serve Legal’ made unannounced visits to ensure that underaged people were not being allowed to access the facilities. Mystery shoppers also visited regularly to ensure the establishments were being run  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.