Decision delayed on new Wolverhampton restaurant’s premises licence

The Bourne Grill is set to open in the former Barclays bank building in Gravel Hill, Wolverhampton.

The bank closed to customers in 2023 and South Staffordshire District Council granted permission for the building to be converted into a bar and restaurant last year.

The Bourne Grill Limited is now seeking a premises licence to enable live and recorded music, alcohol sales and late night refreshment after 11pm each night. Proposed opening hours for the bar and restaurant are 11am to midnight Sunday to Thursday and 11am to 1am on Fridays, Saturdays, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

The premises licence application was due to be considered by South Staffordshire’s Licensing Committee on Tuesday (March 10). But members were told at the start of the meeting that it would be adjourned until April.

There have been no objections to the premises licence application from police and fire services, Staffordshire County Council’s Trading Standards department or the district council’s environmental health department. But the authority’s planning department objected on the grounds of prevention of public nuisance and prevention of crime and disorder.

In an email to the council’s licensing officer, the department said: “Planning permission was granted for the change of use of this premises to a restaurant and bar on 29th July 2025. The opening hours are restricted by condition 7 of the permission to 1200 to 2300 hours, Monday to Sunday, including Bank Holidays.

“The restricted hours of opening are to protect the reasonable enjoyment of surrounding residential properties and also assist to reduce the risk of crime associated with late night operating of a premises selling alcohol. If the premises were to operate past 11pm we believe that it will cause public nuisance in the area and by applying for later hours (than) what has been permitted under planning shows that if the applicant is willing to breach planning conditions are they may further breach the hours applied for within the application and/or breach any conditions place on the premises licence should it be granted.”

In the premises licence application form, the applicant proposed a series of measures to prevent public nuisance, crime and disorder. The form stated: “The sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises shall only be permitted to customers who are consuming a meal on the premises.

“Signs will be displayed at the premise exit requesting customers to respect local residents and to leave the area quietly. No open containers will be allowed to leave the premises.

“Noise and vibration should not be allowed to emanate from the premises at levels which could cause nuisance to nearby commercial properties or residents. No deliveries to the premises shall take place between 2300 hours and 0700 hours.

“A digital CCTV system will be in place which covers entry/exit points of the premises and all areas where alcohol/money is served/taken, all areas where the public have access, and the immediate vicinity outside the premises. Images and video will be downloadable in a suitable format and provided to any officer of a responsible authority upon request.

“An electronic or written incidents log will be maintained at the premises with a record of all incidents of crime and disorder reported to or by the premises, fraudulent ID or other items. Where a crime is believed to have been committed, the incident will be reported to the police.”