A review into how Bridgend County Borough council conducts licensing reviews for town centre premises has been discussed this week at the authority's monthly cabinet meeting.
It was decided that, despite a drop in crime over the course of the pandemic, council policy to tackle an over-concentration of licensed premises in the area would remain.
The report given to members showed how businesses which offered alcohol and regulated entertainment were given licences in the town, and discussed how the concentration of such premises could affect the levels of crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.
It contained a Cumulative Impact Assessment or CIA policy for Bridgend town centre, which assesses a number of issues relating to the impact of licensed premises, including crime and disorder, public nuisance, littering and other negative impacts.
It also advised potential business owners that the council would be minded not to award to those seeking a new licence, unless they could first show how they would address any of these potential issues in the town.
The assessment area for Bridgend town centre covers Market Street, Derwen Road, Wyndham Street, Nolton Street, from its junction with Ewenny Road, to where it meets Merthyr Mawr Road.
Evidence was heard from South Wales Police at the meeting, which showed crime incidents in the CIA area between 10pm and 5:59am had increased by 34.7% throughout 2019, but dropped between 2020 and 2022 because of the pandemic.
South Wales Police, however, said it supported the continuance of the Cumulative Impact Area which was last updated in 2018, "to ensure criminal conduct and disorderly conduct is minimised."
It said: "We have seen a 34% increase in crime demand and reporting across all categories of Night Time Economy (NTE) crime/demand detailed within the report pre-COVID. Post-COVID, figures are generally lower which is to be expected as we emerged from lockdown."
"There is every likelihood that this legacy increase will resume and as such police will support the continuance of the Cumulative Impact Area to ensure criminal conduct and disorderly conduct is minimised in Bridgend Town Centre."
While a number of councillors in attendance felt the move could be detrimental to the recovery of the economy in the town centre, it was noted by officers that each licensing application would be considered on an individual basis and it would not be a "straight jacket" for those seeking to apply.
