St Helens Licensing committee decides on Bar 44's extended hours bid

Bar 44 had claimed during a meeting of the council's Sub-Licensing Committee at the town hall last week that it was being “singled out” after police objected to its bid.

Merseyside Police had objected to the Westfield Street venue's application for four temporary event notices (TENs) seeking to extend its hours until 5am on various dates over the next several weeks, including over the Easter weekend. 

The dates applied for include February 25, March 3, March 29 and March 31.

At the hearing, Tom Glover, of MJT, who have operated Bar 44 since October 2022, said the venue has "regularly used TENs" to operate extended hours without objection.

Mr Glover claimed that, in the wake of Bar 44's application last year for a permanent 5am licence, rather than using TENs, which was objected to by Merseyside Police and refused by the council's licensing committee, the objections to TENs began.

Bar 44 has appealed against the refusal, with the matter currently going through the courts.

Mr Glover claimed there had been "a slight change of tactic" by police since the adjournment of a court hearing on January 18 this year, with TENs now being objected to.

He said there are other venues are still operating in the town centre until 5am, claiming Bar 44 had been "singled out".

The committee met at the town hall last week (Image: Stock)

Craig Carmichael, Merseyside Police licensing sergeant, denied the venue was being “picked on” and said during last week's hearing there is a new drive to focus on TENs to tackle violent crime in the area.

He cited evidence from acting chief inspector Jon Smith claiming "Westfield Street sits within the beat that has the volume of the most violent crime of 74 instances in the last 12 months, 43 per cent of these are classed as violence with injury.

“Furthermore, 18 of these incidents, which equates to just under 25 per cent, took place during the hours of 3am until 5am on a Saturday and Sunday morning. What you can clearly see is a peak in violent crime.”

He said that after 4am “there is a limited (police) resource covering the town centre" and that "extended operating hours will also place a strain upon police resources.”

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Mr Carmichael said he didn't dispute that Bar 44 applying for a later licence has made police "focus on the concerns of the night-time economy" but said "it is not the only reason and Bar 44 is not being picked on. We are looking at trying to reduce TENs in the town centre.”  

In the minutes of the hearing, published on the council's website, the decision by of the Sub-Licensing Committee on Bar 44's TENs applications has been revealed.

This said that "on the balance of probabilities, the Sub-Committee considered the following steps to be appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives:  

"Decision that the events should not take place and to give a Counter Notice."

Meanwhile, the court case on Bar 44’s appeal, which was adjourned in January, is due to be next heard on June 10 at Liverpool, Knowsley and St Helens Magistrates' Court this year.