Two coastal nightspots have been protected from a potential booze clampdown by North Tyneside Council.
Park View in Whitley Bay and the Fish Quay in North Shields were assessed by the council and police to determine if the number of licenced premises selling alcohol were causing problems in the area. The local authority has the power to prevent future licenced premises from opening if it decides to make a 'cumulative assessment area'.
The local authority's licensing committee found there was "insufficient evidence" to stop issuing further alcohol licenses in these areas.
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The council's report, in conjunction with Northumbria Police, said: "Crime and anti-social behaviour incidents in the Fish Quay area account for 0.6% of all recorded crimes and incidents throughout North Shields. Given the small geographic area under review, this is to be expected. However, it does indicate there is no notable issue within the area."
According to police data, there were only nine recorded violent crimes at the Fish Quay between January and August this year. Although the police did report one motorcycle and one drug related offence in that time.
The council reached a similar verdict for Park View where anti-social behaviour and crime accounts for only 0.3% of all reported crimes in Whitley Bay. The police stated shoplifting is the main crime in and around Park View and not licensed premises.
Only five reports of violent crime were recorded at Park View between January and August 2022. These incidents were not connected to the licenced premises in the area.
Chair of the licensing committee and Riverside councillor Wendy Lott, said: "There is no evidence given from the police to indicate any wrongdoing by people from licensed premises.
"Any evidence that was given was about noise from jet skis from the river."
The police and local authority will reassess both locations in two years.
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