Tenby's Normandie Inn public house was 'put on a level playing field' with some of the other town's public houses on Monday when Pembrokeshire County Council's licensing committee agreed to extend the hours of its public entertainment licence (PEL).

The application by the licensee of the Upper Frog Street pub, Mrs. Sue Hawthorne, sought to vary its existing PEL, which allows music from 7 pm to 12.30 am Monday to Sunday, to allow music and dancing from 11 am to 1 am Monday to Saturday and from 11 am to 12.30 am on Sundays.

Representing Mrs. Hawthorne, solicitor Mr. Paul Cowper explained that his client and her family had been running the pub since 1996, and a PEL for music had been granted in 1997.

The variation of the licence was 'primarily for live bands' and his client now wanted the PEL to also cover dancing on the premises.

The premises had been inspected and passed as suitable for dancing and his client wanted "to be on a level playing field with other premises in the town who hold PELs for music and dancing until 1 am."

Mr. Cowper admitted that there had been complaints about noise from the pub in the past, but on the recommendation of the county council's environmental health officer, Mr. Chris Richards, a new set of double doors had been placed at the South Parade entrance to the pub, creating a noise 'buffer zone'.

Although there had been a complaint about noise in the past, there had been none since November.

While the police and fire authority had no objections, the meeting was informed that Tenby Town Council did oppose the request.

Although they had declined to send a representative to the meeting, they had reiterated their objections in a fax that morning.

However, Mr. Cowper felt that the objections of the town council, on the grounds of 'noise nuisance' and 'disruption to neighbours' were "very general grounds" and were "not substantiated by any evidence."

Mr. Gareth Watts, principal officer in the county's public protection department, agreed that granting the pub a PEL for music and dancing until 1 am would put it on a level playing field with three other premises in Tenby.

"We have only received one complaint about noise in the past and that complainant is satisfied with the situation at present," he added.

Police licensing officer, Mr. Tony Davies, reiterated that the Normandie was "a well run pub" and there were "no complaints."

Station Officer Peter Barker, for the fire authority, also reiterated no objections on the proviso that the new doors opened out in the direction of South Parade to assist in clearing the premises in the event of an emergency.

Mr. Richards commented that if the pub was to allow dancing, further ventilation would be required.

Air conditioning would not be enough and a way of drawing in air from outside had to be found.

He suggested that Mrs. Hawthorne contact a specialist ventilation engineer for this purpose.

After deliberation, chairman, Clr. Don Evans, said that the committee had agreed to allow the pub to be brought in line with others and granted the variation.

Council solicitor Miss Julie Jones added, however, that this was on the proviso that a specialist ventilation engineer's report be undertaken on the premises and the recommendations carried out to the satisfaction of the public protection team within three months.