Hearing called over licence for Hartlepool's Staincliffe Hotel after concerns from neighbours and authorities

Hartlepool Borough Council Licensing Sub-Committee will meet next week to discuss an application from The Staincliffe Hotel in Seaton Carew for a permanent licence.

The hotel was granted a 12-month premises licence in 2019 following talks between hotel bosses and authorities including the fire service and police, after objections had previously been raised.

Earlier this year an application was submitted from Ms Amanda Jane Fletcher to make the licence permanent, however concerns have been raised over the plans, meaning it will have to go before the sub-committee.

Five representations have been received by the council over the application, including a letter signed by 11 residents from nearby Cliffe Court raising concerns over the noise.

The letter raised issues such as the hotel wanting to show boxing/wrestling and noted five noise complaints lodged against the site in the past year.

It said: “It has been noted that on every instance of entertainment the doors are left open, thus allowing unnecessary noise to escape from the rooms and letting people have free access to the garden at any time.

“The management and staff are not regularly patrolling the premises both indoors and outdoors for improvement of noise control or checking if external windows and doors remain closed during entertainment.

“The hotel management need to prove to all concerned they can adhere to the rules and regulations.”

Concerns have also been raised by council officers over how as part of the previous licensing agreement last year hotel bosses said they would carry out regular meetings with relevant authorities and local residents.

The first of the meetings was required in September 2019 but only took place on October 14, following a reminder from the council licensing manager, and at the meeting only residents from one local address were present.

Residents from Cliffe Court, who should have been invited, stated in their letter they were not invited, and no invitations to any further meetings were sent to either the responsible authorities or residents, the council claims.

The council’s environmental health manager also raised concerns over the hotel’s ‘failure to manage its waste correctly’, which resulted in two abatement notices being issued.

Cleveland Fire Brigade have also claimed a previous condition was not fully satisfied in regards to a ‘work action plan’ over fire safety at the site and have requested that if a new licence is granted, the same condition is added again.

A statement submitted on behalf of the hotel to the council states they would look to promote all licensing objectives and ensure public safety, protection of children and the prevention of crime, disorder and public nuisance.

It said: “We would promote strong management in keeping with the safety of all customers at all times.

“We would promote public safety by having an accident book plus weekly fire alarm checks, with staff training for emergency and general safety precautions and procedures.

“We would promote [the prevention of public nuisance] by management and staff regularly patrolling the premises both indoors and outdoors to supervise conduct. No music or speakers will be permitted outdoors without written consent from local authorities.”

The licensing application submitted by the hotel looks to give them permission to open to the public from 11am until 11.30pm during the week and until midnight Friday to Sunday

It would also give them permission to show any boxing or wrestling entertainment between noon and 11pm.

Additionally they want to be able to play live music at any time between 11am and 11pm, extending to 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday, and play recorded music between 11am until 11pm on weekdays and until midnight on weekends.

The licensing application would also give the hotel permission to supply alcohol until 11pm on weekdays and 11.30pm Friday to Sunday.

The licensing sub-committee meeting will be held remotely on Friday, July 3, from 10am and streamed via YouTube.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you