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A St Patrick’s day celebration was unable to provide live music after the venue failed to apply for a temporary event notice in time in line with conditions placed on it by the council.
Rum Jack’s, on Tulketh Brow, is currently subject to 31 extra conditions from Preston City Council which include that it is unable to host live music without the notice.
These conditions stem from the site’s previous guise, under different management, as The Tulketh Tap and include that former landlord Raymond Woods is not allowed to enter the premises at all.
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Rum Jack’s, an Irish-themed bar, was therefore unable to host live music as planned after a complaint was issued ahead of the event – and a ‘late’ application for the temporary events notice meant that the matter could not be considered properly or otherwise appealed by the venue.
But Nicki Kirby, the venue’s designated premises supervisor, hit out against Preston City Council for a perceived lack of support of his venue despite him cleaning up the bar’s act.
He told Blog Preston: “Since taking over the bar in June with its awful reputation, I have had no complaints or incidents at all. Everything I promised in the licence review I have stuck with. I have had absolutely no support at all from Preston City Council, the only thing I’ve had from them is objections and letters requesting money.
“It’s a shambles and not fair on small businesses they claim they want to thrive and do well.
“My bar had become an asset to the community. It’s managed properly, it has good clientele, but it’s struggling to compete with local bars as I’ve had to take on the burden of somebody else’s past. I’m the only bar in Preston that has to ask permission to have live entertainment and every single application is objected to.
“I have proved myself after 10 months with no incidents or complaints at all and I get absolutely no support in return.”
Preston City Council, however, said that they did not receive an application for a temporary event notice in good time and that left it challenged in terms of allowing the event to take place.
A spokesperson for Preston City Council told Blog Preston: “The Environmental Health Department has a duty to ensure that there are no issues that could cause Public Nuisance to those in the community.
“Therefore, once an objection has been made to a late Temporary Event Notice (TEN) by the Police or Environmental Health, the Licensing Authority is required to issue a counter notice rendering the late TEN of no effect. There is no right to a Hearing or any appeal.
“Had the TEN been submitted in good time, i.e.: at least 10 clear working days before the event, then the matter could have been considered at a Hearing where conditions from the licence could have been added.”
Blog Preston contacted Lancashire Constabulary for further information but received no response.
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