Valleys pub can open longer

2:40pm Friday 20th June 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

BLAENAU Gwent council gave approval for an Abertillery pub to extend its opening hours.

The licensing committee gave the go ahead for the New Bridgend Inn, with some amendments to the original application.

The pub, in Penybont Road, originally applied to open from 11am to 1.30am throughout the week.

However, the committee, led by chairman Cllr Jim Watkins, only gave approval on the basis that opening hours were restricted to 1am and no alcohol would be served after 12.45am.

This licence was granted despite police urging the council in January introduce a saturation policy, making it harder to grant licenses for pubs and clubs in the town.

It would not stop people from applying for licences, but committees would have to consider concerns that the town is overrun with nightlife.

The policy has now gone through a consultation period and is expected to go before the council's licensing committee for final approval in the near future.

No live or recorded music can be played at the pub after 12.30am.

The committee said the main concern of the objectors was the levels of noise and there were no reports of crime close to the pub, nor any issue of public safety.

The committee heard sound-proofing measures were now in place.

Initially, an objection was filed by the council's public health division, which was later withdrawn after consultation with the licensees.

A stipulation of the licence states the patio at the rear of the building is no longer classed as part of the licensed premises and pub-goers cannot use any outside areas after 11pm unless they were in a designated smoking area.