Margot James calls on Dudley Council to impose Cumulative Impact Policy in response to Old Bank licence application

Council restricts licensing hours to midnight Monday to Saturday and 11.30pm on Sunday.

Margot James gave evidence this morning to Dudley Council Licensing Sub-Committee at a hearing to determine an application for a late night licence made in respect of the Old Bank on the corner of Stourbridge High Street and Coventry Street.

Margot spoke on behalf of residents in Lower High Street and Coventry Street who had complained to her about the potential for violence and antisocial behaviour emanating from the Old Bank if it were to be allowed to serve alcohol until 1.30am.

The Police also voiced their opposition in a well prepared statement and Cllr Malcolm Knowles spoke up for more than forty residents who had signed a petition against the application.

Margot said “Our town centre is a residential area as well as an area for bars, restaurants and other commercial enterprises and residents are united against yet another late night bar being permitted, and at the other end of the High Street too thereby spreading the potential for trouble. I have visited the High Street between 11.00pm and 1.00am at a weekend and I have been impressed with the police presence, they have managed to achieve a thirty per cent reduction in violent crime over the last two years. However the problem is still not resolved – more than ten per cent of violent crime reported in the Dudley area still takes place in and around Stourbridge Town Centre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights so the last thing our residents want is for the floodgates to be opened and another late night bar to add to the huge numbers already visiting bars in Stourbridge Town Centre. The Council’s Cumulative Impact Policy has had a positive effect, the licensing committee should turn the application until 1.30am down in line with that policy to enable the Police to at least maintain the status quo and hopefully continue the improvements they are making”.

The applicant was not in attendance so all who spoke were against the late night licence. The Police, Cllr Knowles and Margot James together with other residents and their representatives in attendance were all delighted that the Council decided to follow its cumulative impact policy and confine the licensed hours to an end time of midnight during the week and on a Saturday. These hours are consistent with other restaurants in the town.