The Bridge Bar

Early in 2011 the Bridge Bar in Beckenham made an application to extend their opening hours from 2am to 3am and to be allowed to increase the number of drinkers in their premises by 100.

Th CCARA objected to these changes as did a number of local residents and, at the hearing, the licensing committee rejected their application.

Under the 2003 Licensing Act the applicant appealed against this decision and went for a hearing in the Magistrates Court. Later on they dropped the hours extension but still went to court regarding the additional 100 drinkers.

The case at last came to the Bromley Magistrates Court on the 6th of December 2011. However on the day before the case came into court the barrister for the applicant raised a point of law regarding the licensing officer of Bromley speaking in court, as he himself is a local Magistrate

After many hours of debate out of court the case was adjourned and put forward to be heard in the Bromley Magistrates Court in front of a district judge on the 10th of January 2012 at 10am.

I am pleased to report that after a 3 hour hearing in court on the 10th of January, the District Judge agreed with the Licensing Sub-Committee decision and refused the appeal by the Bridge Bar.

The Council was also awarded full costs, so no funds were spent from the public purse.

This is a very important decision by the court and one which will hopefully deter further applications from businesses in the Cumulative Impact Zone.