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A club owner’s plan to sell alcohol slightly later at night will give him “more of a chance to compete” with other venues in Newport city centre.

Jack Bannister, the licensee at Legacy club, in High Street, said he would take “mitigating steps” to prevent any potential noise at the venue brought about by later drinking.

At a meeting on Monday December 9, Newport City Council’s licensing committee heard Mr Bannister had agreed with local authority officers to a compromise, which allows Legacy to sell alcohol for “just 30 minutes extra trading time” on Fridays and Saturdays.

Licensing officer Llyr Roberts said the licence for the premises had been reviewed and amended in October 2023, after police raised concerns about a “serious incident” alleged to have taken place at the club, when it was known as the Greyhound.

The licensing hours were reduced and a new door staff team had to be hired as a result of that review, Mr Roberts said.

The committee heard the police and the council were satisfied with the compromise agreed with Mr Bannister ahead of the December 9 meeting.

But the owner of a neighbouring nail business had objected to the proposals, saying longer drinking hours could be “detrimental to my tenants” in an upstairs flat, because of “potential noise”.

That business owner did not attend the committee meeting, but Mr Roberts said concerns about potential noise impacts should be considered a “valid objection”.

Mr Bannister, speaking at the meeting, told councillors he was “surprised” by the objection and claimed he couldn’t “recall any instances” of noise complaints from the business owner, who he had offered to meet to discuss any concerns.

The club owner told the committee he would be “willing to bring in acoustic specialists” to assess any noise matters, and would also be willing to close Legacy’s High Street entrance from 2am.

Cllr Kate Thomas, chairing the meeting, said shutting that entrance “minimises the noise contribution”, but told Mr Bannister the committee recognised “you can’t control how the public behave outside”.

Committee member Cllr Debbie Harvey asked what benefits an extra half an hour would offer Mr Bannister’s business.

“Our rival competitors all have a later licence… so we find it difficult to attract people because they know they can stay out longer in other places,” he replied.

Approving the application will make it “more likely to encourage people to choose us”, he added.

Following deliberations, the committee decided to grant Mr Bannister the licence extension based on the terms he agreed with council officers.

Cllr Thomas told him the committee members “recognise the concern you showed about issues towards anti-social behaviour and any effect your premises has on neighbouring properties”.

She reminded the club owner “that if there are any issues to do with noise from the premises, it will be looked at”.

The council will write to the neighbour who objected, supplying information about noise monitoring procedures on the council’s website, and recommending that any complaints can be directed to the environmental health department, added Cllr Thomas.