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Apres, in Poplar Road, has had its 2am closing time extended by an hour for all days from Monday by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s planning committee.
West Midlands Police told the council: “There are grounds to believe that crime and disorder will escalate at premises during the terminal hour of licensed premises closing within the town centre with conflict between customers leaving premises at the same hour.”
Yet a council’s planning officer told councillors that crime and anti-social behaviour are “not considered to be material planning considerations”.
It added: “The increase in opening hours by one additional hour is not considered to be
extreme and would mean the premises would close at the same time as others within the town centre.
“With this in mind and the lack of any additional information from the police, your officers are satisfied that the extension of opening hours by one additional hour would not likely materially affect levels of crime and anti-social behaviour in the town centre.”
The police also told the council: “Policing within the town is at a premium from 0200 hours with resources fully stretched dealing with the night time economy leaving premises safely and the town centre.
“Putting this further burden on police resources will substantially affect the policing plan’s capacity to maintain a safe and orderly environment in the town centre.”
But the council officer said the proposal would ‘not be without precedent in the town centre” with O’Neills and the Kings Fish and Chip Shop opening to 3am at weekends.
It concluded: “The proposed additional hour of opening to the existing premises is not considered to cause unacceptable harm to the character or appearance of the Solihull Conservation Area, impact on the vitality or viability of the town centre, crime or anti social behaviour or the amenities of residential properties.”
The planning permission says the bar must revert back to 2am after a maximum of a year.
When Apres opened in 2006 it was allowed to open from 9am to midnight Sundays to Thursdays and 9am to 2am Friday and Saturdays.
It then got permission to open to 2am all days for a year and this was made permanent in 2007.
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