NIGHTCLUB and bar owners are being deterred from opening new premises in Bournemouth because of tough licensing rules, it has been claimed.

Bournemouth has four cumulative impact areas (CIAs), which means that anyone wishing to open a licensed premises within a crime and disorder hotspot needs to prove their business will not increase anti-social behaviour.

But licensing solicitor Philip Day, of Horsey Lightly Fynn, told the council’s licensing board this was putting people off because they thought it would be too difficult and expensive to get a licence.

He quoted the example of Dusk Till Dawn in Old Christchurch Road, which is currently closed after its licence was revoked by the council’s licensing board.

“There is now an empty building in the middle of Old Christchurch Road,” he said.

“A number of people have approached me and asked ‘What do you reckon?’ but the answer is ‘It’s almost a certainty you will get an objection.

‘The prospects of getting past the council are not good. It’s almost certain to go to appeal, so how deep are your pockets?’ “There are very few people prepared to take that risk, it does seriously put people off.

“As a result there are an increasing number of former nightclubs in town where the prospects of them reopening are very poor indeed.”

But Sgt Derek McKerl, of Dorset Police, told councillors: “The cumulative impact zones are a significant tool that helps us, and helps you and helps local communities reduce crime in that area.

“This is assisting us and assisting you to make Bournemouth a safer place”

He presented councillors with a six-month snapshot of crime figures which show that, despite an overall reduction in crime rates, the hotspots contained within the CIAs still see disproportionately high levels of crime and disorder.

“The cumulative impact statement doesn’t give carte blanche to ban all premises from the town, it just allows for a better consideration of the applicants that are going into the area. It also makes operators think about how they can operate responsibly,” he said.

The licensing board agreed to keep the CIAs – Bournemouth town centre, Boscombe, Winton and Charminster – in place.

Six-month snapshot of crime

The six-month snapshot of crime presented by Sgt McKerl reveals that:

Together, the four Bournemouth CIAs make up just seven per cent of the borough but account for 73 per cent of all night-time public place assaults and 60 per cent of all alcohol-related crime between January and June 2012.

The Bournemouth town centre CIA is responsible for 41 per cent of the town’s alcohol-related crime, 62 per cent of night-time public place assaults and 24 per cent of day-time public place assaults.

Boscombe and Pokesdown CIA accounts for 52 per cent of all the alcohol-related crime, 44 per cent of night-time public place assaults and 42 per cent of day-time public place assaults in East Bournemouth.

And the Winton and Charminster CIAs account for 17 per cent of all alcohol-related crime, 18 per cent of night-time public place assaults  and 13 per cent of day-time public place assaults in North Bournemouth.