A LICENSING application opposed by police and residents for a popular Cardiff yard to sell alcohol seven days a week has been rejected.
Kings Road Yard in Pontcanna currently has a licence to sell alcohol for a limited number of occasions a year.
An application lodged by the family which owns the site, the Munros, proposed the sale of alcohol from Monday to Sunday, between 9.30am and 10.30am, and on New Years Eve until 1.30am.
There was support for the application, with one resident in the area calling Kings Road Yard a cultural asset which should be supported with the “utmost enthusiasm”.
However, other residents raised concerns about the potential noise disturbance and overcrowding in the area.
One representation made to the council by a resident said they knew of at least four families who had decided to sell their homes due “mainly to the noise and disruption” in the area.
A representation made by the council’s licensing enforcement team highlighted that the applicant wanted to allow 180 customers on site at any one time through the proposed licence.
Kings Yard Road hosts farmers markets throughout the year and is home to a number of businesses, including Alex Gooch Pizzeria, Pipes Brewery and The Wardrobe Coffee Shop.
Another resident who lives close to Kings Road Yard wrote to the council: “What was a community space is now to become a kind of outdoor nightclub for who?
“Not the local community.”
South Wales Police noted that Kings Road Yard courtyard only has one entrance and exit and that the premises is situated in a heavily populated area.
In their representation to the council, the police said the proposed extension to the licensable area and increased operating days would attract “a greater number of customers and increase the possibility of unruly customers”.
An objection from Cardiff Council ward members for Riverside, Cllr Caro Wild, Cllr Leonora Thomson and Cllr Kanaya Singh reads: “In summary we feel this application goes against our licensing objectives, the venue is right in the heart of a residential area (with residential properties directly joining the site) – and the wrong place for a heavy drinking and party establishment.”
The applicant said they would take a number of steps to try and promote licensing objectives, including the installation of a CCTV system and a minimum of two members of door staff when the number of people attending exceeds 180.
They also proposed the displaying of signage requesting that customers leave the premises quietly and that no amplified live music should be performed externally.
A petition in support of the application for a premises licence gained more than 100 signatures.
The petition states: “By granting this licence, we believe Kings Road Yard will be able to enhance its offering and create a more enjoyable and vibrant space for the community.
“This will not only benefit the businesses but also contribute positively to the local economy and social atmosphere.”
Cardiff Council’s licensing sub committee met on Wednesday October 18 to make their decision.
After considering all of the representations, the committee decided that the proposals would risk creating too much disturbance in the area and that it would therefore not meet the council’s licensing objectives.
