A controversial licensing application to extend the hours of a Tenby nightclub has today been rejected by the county's licensing sub-committee.The application to extend the opening hours at the Prince of Wales, located in Upper Frog Street, came before a meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s licensing sub-committee at County Hall in Haverfordwest last Friday, but committee members deferred a decision, giving themselves five working days in which to reach a determination.

The proposal for a ‘variation of premises licence’ to allow the nightclub to remain open until 4.30 am, has sparked a flurry of furious letters opposing the proposal, with one neighbouring resident even claiming that they had seen ‘more violence in Upper Frog Street culminating from the premises’ than they ever did growing up in rough areas of Liverpool.

Eighteen letters of objection were sent to PCC’s licensing department, with one set of residents living on Upper Frog Street stating they were objecting to the application on the grounds of ‘crime and disorder, public safety and prevention of public nuisance’.

“These have been continuous issues for us for 28 years now and with each new proprietor the problems just get worse,” they wrote, explaining that customers leaving and entering the club ‘smoke, drink and shout’ and at times are involved in ‘lewd and obscene conduct’.

“The noise doesn’t stop when the music does, not that it finishes on time - we then have to wait for everyone to leave, the staff to clear up, bottles being emptied into large bins either in the alley between both us and them or on the South Parade,” they continued.

Some residents have also written to point out that as the street is in the conservation area, too many properties are restricted to still having single glazed sash windows.

“It is astounding that such behaviour is allowed to happen in the middle of a conservation area, which is protected in all sorts of other ways to make sure it remains in good order,” wrote one property owner.

“The very loud music, late night exiting from the premises, smoking outside and general bad behaviour in the street is a constant nuisance to our tenants,” they continued.

One business owner, who lets out their property as a holiday rental, wrote that guests were ‘staggered’ that such a place should get a licence beyond 1 am in the morning, in the town centre of a ‘quaint tourist destination’ that sells itself as family resort with seaside entertainment and sporty endeavour.

“You don’t expect drunken louts all through the night clubbing - this is Tenby, Pembrokeshire... not Magaluf or the Student Union in Bangor even!” they remarked in their letter of objection to PCC.

Tenby Town Council, as a consultee on such applications, recently hosted a special meeting at their offices in the De Valence Pavilion, with the town’s Mayor, Clr. Laurence Blackhall, remarking that the amount of letters opposing the application from residents and businesses in the locality was a “significant indication” of the concerns.

Councillors, who unanimously objected to the application, stated that they were concerned that the representations made to them by local residents appeared to raise issues regarding the existing operation and management of the premises.

At Tuesday night’s meeting of the town council, Clr. Blackhall welcomed correspondence from the nightclub’s licensee to organise a meeting to discuss the concerns.

“Irrespective of the sub-committee hearing decision and any future legal process, I would like to suggest future mediation between The Prince of Wales and Tenby Town Council,” wrote Mark Thomson of the nightclub, who explained that a recent meeting between the county council’s licensing and pollution control department, along with Dyfed Powys Police, confirmed that there had been no complaints to the authorities regarding the premises, and had therefore prompted the nightclub to formerly submit its licensing variation.

“In the absence of complaints, we confirmed, as with all our applications, that we would in the event of problems sit round the table to address and if all else failed would revert to our previous licence,” continued Mr. Thomson.

“During the consultation period, it became apparent of representations from the town council and residents, the thrust of the licensing act and guidance steers all parties in the direction of mediation.

“I would like to extend the future opportunity for mediation and face to face meetings so that we could positively discuss resident issues without escalation.

“Pembrokeshire county council adopted this process four to five years prior and in our experience it really works and provides the early opportunity to address concerns,” he added.