A public consultation around a council’s policy on alcohol and entertainment licensing has been launched.
Burnley Council is consulting widely to allow the trade, relevant authorities and other interested parties, including members of the public, have their say.
Councilor Shah Hussain, the council’s executive member with responsibility for licensing, said: “Our town centers are changing as a result of redevelopment and transformation opportunities.
“The council wants to promote public safety, prevent crime and disorder, prevent public nuisance and protect children from harm.
“The revised draft licensing policy outlines a framework that will help the licensed trade, the public, council officers and other regulators understand how those objectives can be achieved.
“It will also support robust decision making where discretion is engaged at a licensing hearing.”
In recent months several bars and pubs in Burnley town center have called for a change in late night licensing due to the rise in anti-social behaviour.
And in April, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper visited the town to discuss ways of combatting the problems.
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In an intimate meeting at Burnley’s Illuminati bar on Hammerton Street, Ms Cooper was joined by leader of Burnley Council, Afrasiab Anwar, deputy leader, Cllr Sue Graham, bar owner James Gibb, shop owner Joanna Dewhurst, long-standing salon owner, Jai Vaja , businessman Mick Cookson, and representatives from Charter Walk Shopping Centre, Dave Barfoot and Luke Walton.
Mr Gibb said: “When they change the licensing or when the council allows a bar to have such a late license, they don’t look at whether it’s safe for people, they just grant the license.
“Every other town in this area is using Burnley like a late night drinking place.
“People from Nelson, Blackburn, Accy, they know the clubs open till 6am so they come here when pubs in their area close and know they have a few hours of drinking left and that’s when the trouble starts.
“But it’s not just drinking, they’re taking other things to help keep them up till that time and it’s becoming a real issue.”
Coinciding with Ms Cooper’s visit in April a new nightclub opened on Hammerton Street called Dirty Lil Angel, which, despite promising to promote a safe drinking culture for all, is open till 6am on weekends, adding to the growing number of late licensed premises in the town, including Mode nightclub, which is open until 8am and Proj3kt, which is open until 4am.
Any comments received during the consultation period will be taken into account and proposals for the new policy will go to the council’s licensing committee for consideration before being progressed to a full council meeting for final approval.
To view the policy and information on how to provide comments please see here.
Residents are asked to submit comments by September 2 2022.