Pier Issued with Revised Licence Conditions
Following a meeting of the licensing sub-committee of Hastings Borough Council (HBC) on 2 September, the management of Hastings Pier has been issued with fresh licence conditions governing music events and other mass gatherings held there.
Max Wolf, director of HPier, which leases the pier superstructure from owner Sheikh Abid Gulzar, has been stripped of his role as designated premises supervisor for licensing purposes. The new conditions include a requirement to provide to HBC and to police, fire and ambulance authorities at least two months in advance an extensive event management plan for each event where more than 1,500 people are anticipated to attend.
This should include a noise management plan which allows complaints of excessive noise suffered by neighbouring premises to be delivered, monitored and acted upon in real time.
Fully functioning CCTV should be installed and adequately maintained.
As reported two weeks ago in HIP 259, the sub-committee’s review of the existing events licence was triggered by SECAmb (South East Coast Ambulance Service) following allegations of multiple breaches of conditions governing public safety. Breaches included failure to provide adequate crowd control, emergency medical care and safety equipment.
Martin Watson, operational commander at SECAmb, told the sub-committee that mass gatherings “pose significant risks to the health and well-being of many individuals, both those attending events but also those surrounded and impacted by potential activities”. The pier’s exposed position above water and the limited means of access made it particularly vulnerable, while the provision of medical services during past events had fallen to a “dangerous level”. SECAmb’s concerns had been raised “repeatedly” with the pier’s management through meetings of the local Safety Advisory Group but without adequate response.
Kirstie Rolfe, a senior licensing officer at HBC, added: “I am grateful that we haven’t had a major incident…I am not confident even now that, if one were to happen, it would be dealt with in a sufficient manner.”
Past failings were effectively admitted by a barrister Duncan Craig, appearing before the sub-committee on behalf of the pier’s management. No comment has been made on their behalf following the issue of the fresh licence conditions.
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