Carmarthen streets lose strict licensing status as council eases rules for new venues

Council drops cumulative impact designation for key Carmarthen streets

Carmarthenshire Council has lifted long-standing extra licensing requirements for several central thoroughfares in Carmarthen, a move that will change how applications for new bars, pubs and similar venues are assessed.

Until now, premises on parts of Lammas Street, Nott Square, King Street and Queen Street in Carmarthen were inside a cumulative impact assessment (CIA) area. That designation placed a higher burden on people and businesses applying for a premises licence because council decision-makers treated the concentration of licensed premises as a factor that could worsen crime and disorder.

Following a three-year review and public consultation, the council has removed the CIA status from those four streets and the adjacent square. The same change has been made for Station Road in Llanelli.

"Having the status put 'a stronger burden' on applicants to justify a new licensed premises."

The remark came from senior council officer Heidi Neil, who told councillors the extra evidential hurdle created by the CIA label was significant for would-be licence holders.

What the review found

Evidence presented to the council included police crime statistics and advice from environmental health. Analysis carried out by Dyfed-Powys Police reportedly showed only limited recorded incidents within the former CIA areas, with activity concentrated around one or two individual premises rather than widespread problems across the zones. As a result, the police were unable to provide statistical support for retaining the CIA designation.

Meanwhile, the council's pollution team said it could not back continuation of the special status in Carmarthen based on public nuisance grounds.

The licensing consultation also identified a general drop in public concern about a range of issues, including antisocial behaviour, alcohol-related violence, street drinking and noise. That shift in public responses was cited in the report as a factor in the decision.

Hot spots retained and applicant responsibilities

Although the broader CIA label has been removed from the five named streets and square, the review found continuing evidence to designate narrower hot spot areas for alcohol-related crime and disorder. The report said hot spot status will remain in place for the five streets and square just mentioned, plus an additional:

• Three streets in Carmarthen (unspecified by name in the report)
• Three streets in Llanelli
• Two streets in Ammanford

Council officers made clear that being outside a CIA does not remove all scrutiny from licence applications. New applicants operating within hot spot zones will need to set out what steps they will take to prevent crime and disorder if granted a licence.

"New applicants will be required to demonstrate what measures they will put in place to enforce against crime and disorder."

The wording was reported by the place, sustainability and climate change scrutiny committee when the findings were discussed.

What this means for Carmarthen

For business owners and prospective operators in Carmarthen town centre, the change reduces a procedural barrier to entering the night-time economy. The removal of the CIA label should make it easier for some venues to secure premises licences, provided they satisfy the standard licensing objectives on prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance, and protection of children from harm.

For residents and councillors concerned about the character and safety of the town centre, the retention of hot spot areas and the continued role of police and environmental health advice mean targeted controls can still be applied where evidence shows problems exist at specific locations.

A continuing balance

The council's report and the supporting police and environmental health input underline the need to balance economic opportunity in town centres with community safety. Officers stressed the changes reflect current data and consultation responses rather than a shift in principle: concentrated problems at particular premises will still attract attention, and licence holders will be expected to demonstrate effective management.

Members of the council committee were told the evidence did not justify keeping the wider CIA status. The decision shifts the emphasis from area-wide presumptions to a more focused, premises-level assessment

The council's licensing framework will continue to be monitored and reviewed in light of police data and community feedback. For now, Carmarthen's town centre faces a regulatory landscape that aims to be more responsive to local evidence while retaining safeguards where particular problems persist.