Dorset Echo August 19 2005

A Portland pub was granted new opening hours despite objections from elderly people living nearby.

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Reports of objections from two residents were to leaving noisily late at night but not to music (or darts).

Committee chairman Coun Mike Goodman said the committee intended to grant the new hours but with conditions and restraints. He said these would include no live music beyond 11pm except on some Bank Holidays, no recorded music later than midnight, no indoor sports such as darts beyond 11pm, an exit notice asking customers to leave quietly, doors and windows to be closed by 11pm and a record of complaints and any action taken. There will be a 21 day period for any appeal to be lodged.

There is no evidence given for why the committee consider that recorded music is safe to continue for an hour longer than live music and darts. And as the public objections were not to any of these factors – why they were imposed at all – when the main cause of noisy late night exits – drinking – can continue until 1am.

According to the guidance – if not the words of the Act – darts etc are only regulated entertainment when provided for spectators at a Championship match. If darts under normal circumstances is not a Regulated Entertainment – how can my LA legally impose any conditions on it – as part of this application?

It rather looks as if our Las are going to follow the words of the Act – rather than the guidance. Can they legally place conditions on when normal indoor sports have to finish or impose distinctions between live and recorded music?