Residents have compared Durham City's night-time venues to the 'Wild West', as some are operating outside their allowed hours. The City of Durham Parish Council has called for stricter rules after finding 26 venues trading later than permitted.
A report discovered that the city centre, popular with Teessiders for days and nights out, is "saturated" with 232 active licensed premises, but 144 have no restrictions on their operating hours. Durham County Council has promised to keep working with businesses to make sure they follow the rules.
The report also found a large number of differences between the hours some places were able to open based on their planning permissions and the hours allowed by licensing. The Parish Council thinks this will lead to venues taking advantage of the system.
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Cllr Susan Walker, Chair of the council's licensing committee, shared her worry: "The fact that the city is so heavily saturated with licensed premises in the first place is seriously concerning to us.
"While we all want a safe and thriving night-time economy in Durham, the fact that we now have over 230 licensed premises and more on the way, presents a huge safety and policing challenge, not to mention the impact this has on daytime footfall," said one local.
"More damning still is the fact that this report lays bare the inadequate regulation we have in place in the city at present. This report clearly shows that planning and licensing are failing to communicate with one another. The fact that premises seem to be able to operate when and how they like is edging into the 'Wild West' territory quite frankly."
Ian Harrison, the council's business compliance manager, responded: "We take any breaches in conditions very seriously and will continue our work with businesses to ensure premises only trade within the hours for which they are approved.
"While it is appreciated there are a number of licensed premises in Durham City, these premises do not just consist of drinking venues such as bars and nightclubs. They include entertainment venues such as cinemas and theatres, shops and supermarkets, as well as dine-in restaurants.
"All of the licences granted are either historic or were the subject of public consideration as is required by the Licensing Act 2003.
"As both a licensing authority and a planning authority, we must operate within the laws that apply to each of these functions."The fact that the city is so heavily saturated with licensed premises in the first place is seriously concerning to us."
"The different laws can mean, in some circumstances, that licensing hours and planning hours will not be the same. However, the licensing department and planning department are in regular communication with each other to ensure consistency where it is legally possible."
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