Licensing Sub Committee minutes

Committee minutes · Licensing Sub Committee · Mon 20 Oct 2025 · Hastings Borough Council

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The premises is within a Cumulative Impact Zone, and the Sub-Committee received representations from residents and from the council's planning department about noise and the proposed entrance on Robertson Terrace. p6 p7

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p65. Application for a Premises Licence with representations for Players Sports Bar, Former Debenhams Building 1-3 Robertson Street. The Chair welcomed attendees to the hearing. The Sub-Committee adjourned at 11:05 to consider additional information circulated by the Senior Licensing Officer. The Sub-Committee then reconvened at 11:17 whereupon the Chair invited the Lead Practitioner - Licensing to present the report. The Lead Practitioner- Licensing introduced the report and stated that the Sub-Committee had been convened to consider a new premises licence application submitted by Mr Thomas Cozens, Director of Players Sports Bar Limited. The application sought permission for the retail sale of alcohol and provision of regulated entertainment at the former Debenhams building, 123 Robertson Street. The premises had previously operated under a licence as Owens Entertainment Centre, which had included a duck-pin bowling alley. Owens had ceased trading after a short period. Prior to that, the site functioned as Debenhams for several years, holding a licence for limited alcohol sales. The Sub-Committee had received formal representations from residents together with a representation from the council’s planning department, a responsible authority under the Licensing Act. Concerns were raised regarding noise impact and the proposed entrance on Robertson Terrace, a residential area adjacent to the premises. The Lead Practitioner - Licensing presented the application and confirmed its receipt on 25 August 2025. An earlier submission dated 20 July 2025 had been rejected due to an incorrect address. The current application proposed access to the site via Robertson Terrace, although the planning designation remained Robertson Street. Mr Cozens was working with planning authorities to update the postal address.
p7The Lead Practitioner - Licensing advised that the premises fell within a designated Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ), requiring careful case-specific consideration of community effects. A risk assessment had been submitted by the applicant, outlining proposed mitigations. The Lead Practitioner - Licensing explained that Companies House records had revealed overdue filings and strike-off actions against several companies previously associated with Mr Cozens, including 180 Sports Bar Limited. Those actions were later discontinued following submission of required documentation. Mr Cozens had advised that the 180 Sports Bar ceased trading due to utility and building structural issues and confirmed that a COVID-19 bounce-back loan remained outstanding but was in repayment. He had further advised that his accountant had been instructed to update the registered office details with Companies House. Members heard that whilst the history of overdue filings and reliance on default addresses may warrant caution, there was no evidence to suggest that those matters had resulted in trading without valid licences or breaches of licensing objectives. Mr Cozens had committed to rectifying the company’s records and ensuring future compliance, particularly in his proposed role as Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS), which carried responsibility for day-to-day management and adherence to licensing conditions. The Sub-Committee were reminded that the Council’s Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ) Policy, had been developed to guide the granting of new licences . The premises’ location within the CIZ necessitated a hearing due to relevant representations. The proposed entrance on Robertson Terrace, although outside the CIZ, did not alter the planning designation of the premises. The applicant’s risk assessment identified potential impacts and proposed control measures, including operational adjustments, staff training, and physical modifications to reduce noise and disturbance.

Places and organisations it names

Hastings Borough Council
Robertson Street (named in passing; not checked that it's about here)
Robertson Terrace (named in passing; not checked that it's about here)

Other papers for this meeting

Licensing Sub Committee agenda · Committee agenda
Appendix A1 - Application for a Premises Licence - Players Sports Bar · Committee report
Appendix A2 plan · Committee report
Appendix A3 Risk Assessment CIZ · Committee report
Appendix B1 Map of area · Committee report
Appendix C Public representations · Committee report
Appendix D planning · Committee report
Appendix E Police conditions · Committee report
Appendix F EH memo · Committee report
Minutes Public Pack, 13/05/2025 Licensing Sub Committee · Committee report
Minutes Public Pack, 23/04/2025 Licensing Sub Committee · Committee report
Players Sports Bar Report · Committee report

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