the ball in hillsborough has put an offer for a 2 am licence! what do people think of that?

we live very close and i must say there is always trouble and fighting around our house.

if you dissagree with this residents need to sign the pertition that will be going around very shortly.

We must put a stop to this!

All the press releases about "binge drinking" this would be the icing on the cake for all the binge drinkers.

Surely binge drinking is the opposite end of the spectrum from extended opening hours? (I always understood it to mean people drinking as much as they could as quickly as possibly, typically by "happy hours")

The naive part of me wants to think that later opening hours (which I've always supported) would actually help drink-fuelled violence, as you would be spreading the drinking out over a longer period rather than everyone starting and finishing at the same time. I'm not sure you can trust your average drinker in this country to be so sensible though! And having seen what goes on in Hillsborough of an evening, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be looking forward to a late license on my doorstep...

Thing is that most of the custom that the ball attracts are very young drinkers who don't have the sence to know when to stop! all of which will probably be there till the end anyway.

I could understand if it was some pub that attracted the more mature type of person then yes you would get a steady departure of people all at different times.

Lets face it, it aint going to happen in the ball so instead of putting up with fighting and rowdiness at 11.30 it will be more like 2.30 and when you have young kids asleep it aint good!

Pubs in residential areas have always been a blight on the lives of people living nearby, drunken fighting is only a small part of the problem, with late night noise making up most of the nuisance.

If these extended hours are going to be allowed by the council they should be restricted to pubs and bars in the city centre.

Originally posted by Greybeard
Pubs in residential areas have always been a blight on the lives of people living nearby, drunken fighting is only a small part of the problem, with late night noise making up most of the nuisance.

If these extended hours are going to be allowed by the council they should be restricted to pubs and bars in the city centre.

And I suppose City Centre residents will be in agreement with this then??

I'd rather have a couple of drunks making noise around my house once or twice a week for a few minutes rather than the 30 teens with cans of special brew sat around the village all evening messing the place up!!!!!!

I think this is a stupid idea,people in that place are always fighting, me, my bloke, his dad, brother, and his dads m8 and gf went down a couple of months ago, minding our own business and havin a drink, next minute, about 15 big 40+year old men started laying into his brother, my bloke got glassed and it was a very unpleasent, upsetting night, it shook me up that much that i will never ever go in the ball again! They should definatley NOT have a 2am licence!!!!!
People only go into that place to fight, the whole pub should be closed down and let these idiots go somewhere else!!!!

I wouldn't be surprised if the local Police put in an objection anyway. The Magistrates/Council etc will already be well aware that this pub is one that is a load of trouble and will probably turn any application down.

Originally posted by MissGobby
I think this is a stupid idea,people in that place are always fighting, me, my bloke, his dad, brother, and his dads m8 and gf went down a couple of months ago, minding our own business and havin a drink, next minute, about 15 big 40+year old men started laying into his brother, my bloke got glassed and it was a very unpleasent, upsetting night, it shook me up that much that i will never ever go in the ball again! They should definatley NOT have a 2am licence!!!!!
People only go into that place to fight, the whole pub should be closed down and let these idiots go somewhere else!!!!
Sounds like The Ball is frequented by violent scum and should be converted into a prison.

I can’t see it happening at all, there's far too much trouble as it, god knows what would happen if people where allowed to drink cheap booze for another 3 hours.

Last Thursday there where 5 or 6 police cars down there after closing and I ended up with two black eyes for no apparent reason :rant:

There’s trouble guaranteed every Thursday a lot of the people who go there don’t think they've had a good night unless they've tw@ted some one.

Would be a nice place if there weren’t so much trouble

Originally posted by SeAnY
I can’t see it happening at all, there's far too much trouble as it, god knows what would happen if people where allowed to drink cheap booze for another 3 hours.

Last Thursday there where 5 or 6 police cars down there after closing and I ended up with two black eyes for no apparent reason :rant:

There’s trouble guaranteed every Thursday a lot of the people who go there don’t think they've had a good night unless they've tw@ted some one.

Would be a nice place if there weren’t so much trouble
So the moral of this story seems to be - if you value your life, keep out of the Blue Ball!

I woulkd be very suprised of the license is granted. There has been a lot of public opposition from local people in the past few years to new licenses being granted and the city's Magistrates are fully aware of this. A ruling was made a year or 2 ago saying that no more liceses would be granted in Hillsborough for 5 years. Surely this will have some babring on this case?

Having lived in the middle of Hillsborough all my life, I have seen it get steadily worse. People come from other areas, get drunk, puke, fight, drop their take away litter on your streets amd then go back to their own areas leaving the mess for us. Weekends are a nightmare. We are constantly being woken up by drunks screaming, shouting and fighting and this can only get worse of the ball gets an extended license.

The Blue Ball has a lot of underage drinkers in there and it has a rough reputation or this use to be the case - they may have cleaned up there act now but it did use to be known as a violent pub so if this is still the case I can only see more trips to casualty on the horizon.

it has come to our attention that the ball isn't the only place that have applied. most of then have done the same thing. it is looking like the only place that may be granted is the pool club above the shop on the corner.

it would be a living hell if they all got the licence.

It's reported in The Star today that the Blue Ball has been given a licence until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights, but all other opening hours remain the same.

They have also imposed some conditions on the pub:

A dedicated free-phone taxi phone to be installed.
Display signs asking customers to leave quietly.
Submit a policy detailing what plans they have to disperse customers effectively.

Not quite the result I was hoping for (I was hoping they would refuse any kind of licence!) but a lot better than it could have been! :|

:suspect: Basically then, put a couple of cheapo little signs up, stick in a phone paid for by a taxi company and disperse crowds by that time-honoured method of ushering 'em as fast as poss to stampede to the kebab shop. Phew, I bet the brewery are quaking over those expensive hard-hitting measures!

Sounds like a popular dispersal policy might be tasers and water cannons. Or big sticks with nails in.

I like the sound of big sticks with nails in! ;)

I'm glad the police objected in the first place though. At least they're acknowledging there is a a problem.

Right then, off to find my stungun and mace to do a bit of vigilante work... :)

Our reference term for the hordes of people/p*ssheads you encounter when you try to drive through Hillsborough at night is 'wildebeest'. They do display astonishing herd mentality, and let's put it this way, next time I change my car I won't be getting a black Scenic that could look like a taxi if you were wearing beer goggles again.

Can we take turns with the water cannon- it sounds like fun!

Should shut em all at 10 oclock,:clap: :hihi: Better still shut em all down:heyhey: :heyhey:

Originally posted by burnttoast
Should shut em all at 10 oclock,:clap: :hihi: Better still shut em all down:heyhey: :heyhey:

My vote would be a compromise, don't let them open till the small hours but let them open maybe a bit longer, say for an extra hour so, chuck out at Midnight instead of 11 for example.

Most sensible folk wouldn't stay in a pub drinking till 2 am and beyond anyway cos they know they've to get up for work a few hours later without a hangover.

I dunno, maybe I'm giving drinkers too much credit for sense..

Originally posted by Rich
Most sensible folk wouldn't stay in a pub drinking till 2 am and beyond anyway cos they know they've to get up for work a few hours later without a hangover.


You see, not every day.

I was in a pub til 1:30 this morning, because I don't have to go to work today. Why should I have my freedom to drink restricted?

Originally posted by Andy
You see, not every day.

I was in a pub til 1:30 this morning, because I don't have to go to work today. Why should I have my freedom to drink restricted?

Because people who did have to go to work today wanted a good night's sleep, not to have it disturbed by rowdy revellers at 1:30 in the morning ?

Not suggesting that you personally are a rowdy reveller, - but many are; even the seemingly inoffensive older element who insist on continuing with their karioke on the way home will be disturbing the peace for someone.

In residential areas midnight is quite late enough.

Originally posted by garryh69
the ball in hillsborough has put an offer for a 2 am licence! what do people think of that?

we live very close and i must say there is always trouble and fighting around our house.

if you dissagree with this residents need to sign the pertition that will be going around very shortly.

We must put a stop to this!

All the press releases about "binge drinking" this would be the icing on the cake for all the binge drinkers.

According to the Star, The Ball is a "disorder hotspot (http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=1123890)". Can't see this getting the "go ahead".

I for one, hope they don't get an extension (and I don't live in Hills any more).

Originally posted by SeAnY
.

Last Thursday there where 5 or 6 police cars down there after closing and I ended up with two black eyes for no apparent reason :rant:

There’s trouble guaranteed every Thursday a lot of the people who go there don’t think they've had a good night unless they've tw@ted some one.

Would be a nice place if there weren’t so much trouble

Sorry to hear about your black eyes but a mate of a mate ended up in hospital and under going major surgery from some trouble or other on thursday night so sorry to say you are the lucky one by all accounts

if in doubt keep out

If you ask me opening hours on public houses should be cut.close the pubs at a reasonable hour like 9pm.am i being a funny duddy?

why is no-one trying to go the other way. later opening hours is the last thing we need in the neighbourhoods we should be pushing for pubs to close earlier and leave the late night stuff to the new night club they are going to build in the middle of the moors(wishful thinking).that way they can all fight in the middle of no where and not disturb anyone.

Maybe a compromise would be to stagger the closing hours for the Hillsborough pubs by half-hours (one shuts at 11.00, one at 11.30, etc), so you'd get a more gradual dispersal. I've not quite worked out how they'll stop hoardes of drunks storming the doors of the open ones and trying to 'reason' with the door staff though!

2 am is only the start , if successful watch pubs apply to open later - all night in many cases...

The Ball will get its extended licence...

It's all part of the Government's plan to let pubs open 24 hours eventually.. They mistakenly think that if the pubs are open longer it'll stop a lot of binge drinking... :loopy:

Trust the Government to get it wrong big style, Blair is an idiot.

Originally posted by Rich
It's all part of the Government's plan to let pubs open 24 hours eventually.. They mistakenly think that if the pubs are open longer it'll stop a lot of binge drinking... :loopy:

Trust the Government to get it wrong big style, Blair is an idiot.

Pubs have been able to apply to open 24hrs under the new regulations, - very few have because it would be uneconomic.

Staggered hours won't work because the one pub won't want to lose custom to the pub down the road,which is why they've all applied for the same hours; and anyway the only staggering would be from the drunks moving from a pub that closes at 11 pm to the pub that closes at midnight.

If Blair is an idiot why has he won three elections on the trot ? It can only be that the majority of the British electorate are even bigger idiots ;)

The new Licensing Act 2003 transfers responsibility for licensing pubs, clubs and off-licenses to the local council's Licensing Board. Magistrates courts will no longer be the licensing authority.

All licensed premises must have a new license, and these will come into effect at the end of November. Existing licenses will be automatically granted, with any variations applied for, unless there is an objection from either a statutory authority (i.e., Police or Environmental Protection) or local residents.

Where objections cannot be resolved, the case is put before the Licensing Board, which is comprised of 3 elected councillors. I am one of the three councillors who heard the objections from local residents over the Blue Ball at Hillsborough.

The original application for the Blue Ball was to have much later opening hours, but was subsqeuently amended for a closing time of midnight, 7 days per week. The Licensing Board was presented with a lengthy petition objecting to this application for a variation of opening times, and took oral evidence from a group of local residents, the licensee, the regional manager of the brewery and their legal representative. Although the police had initially lodged objections, these had been withdrawn when the application for variation was amended to a midnight closing time.

After taking evidence from all parties, The Licensing Board was faced with three options - approval, approval with variations to the application, or refusal.

The Licensing Board deliberated at length, and granted the application subject to variation. The variations are legally binding, and thus form part of the new license.

The Blue Ball will only be allowed to stay open longer on a Fri and Sat night. On these nights, music must cease at 11.30pm., alcohol cannot be purchased after midnight, and the pub must close at half past midnight. On Sun through to Thu, the pub must close in accordance with existing licensing hours.

The Licensing Board heard evidence of problematic behaviour. The brewery had offered to have door staff on the premises. The Licensing Board has now made this a condition of the new license, including that all such door staff must be properly trained and hold regulatory approved qualifications. This can be checked by the police and Licensing section staff at anytime of inspection.

The Licensing Board heard evidence of disputes arising from patrons waiting for taxis. The brewery offered a freephone taxi service. The Licensing Board has made this a condition of the new license.

The Licensing Board also heard evidence of patrons sitting on the car-park wall, which could also lead to problematic behaviour. There is now a new condition of the license that the brewery erect a suitable railing on the car-park wall.

There were additional new conditions also imposed on the new license. Additionally, although not mandatory, the Licensing Board also made several recommendations. Having heard evidence that the pub had not held a meeting with local residents for 7 years, the Licensing Board recommended that quarterly meetings between the brewery and local residents should be held.

After the Licensing Board meeting concluded, local residents and the representative of the brewery were apparently wasting no time in actively discussing how to take this recommendation forward.

None of the interested parties were granted what they sought. The brewery have not got what they wanted - which was an extended licence until midnight 7 days a week. The local residents (the objectors) have not got what they wanted - which was for the pub to remain open in accordance with existing licensed opening hours. The decisions of the Licensing Board are open to appeal to a magistates court by any of the interested parties. There is an opportunity, if required, to review the new licensing conditions at a future date.

The decisions of the Licensing Board are made in accordance with the published Sheffield City Council Policy on Licensing, and the principal objectives of the new Licensing Act, which are -

Prevention of crime and disorder
Prevention of public nuisance
Promotion of public safety
Protection of children from harm

Thanks RedRobbo, it's nice to get the actual facts! It might make people a bit happier now they know there's been compromise on both sides. :thumbsup:

Glad to hear about the fence round the Ball too - might make the place look slightly smarter.

That seems a fair decision on the Blue Ball's application and it's good to see the council taking a proactive role in the matter.

However, there are three other pubs/bars in close proximity to the Blue Ball, so it will be interesting to see what extended hours these are granted. If the Shakespear, for instance, were to be allowed to serve booze until 1am on Firdays and Saturdays the council will look a little silly. ;)

sounds like quite a reasonable response. it will be interesting to see how well it works.

How often can the licensee apply for a change to the license RR?

most of the punters in the Ball can't hold much ale any how!! they are all usually out and home by 10:30 most weekends (lightweights!!):heyhey:

So an extension won't make any differnce to the usual suspects

its the worst idea ive ever heard. Give pi**ed up skinhead blokes that like a fight longer to drink stella. This really is gonna cause massive problems. Well done tony

Originally posted by jdgraham83
its the worst idea ive ever heard. Give pi**ed up skinhead blokes that like a fight longer to drink stella. This really is gonna cause massive problems. Well done tony

i'm sure you get a lot of those in the blue ball.

Glad to hear about the fence round the Ball too - might make the place look slightly smarter. [/B][/QUOTE]

Like polishing a turd!:loopy:

Maybe it will be a very high fence with barbed wire and no gates. Problem solved! The pub itself doesn't look too bad - if there are no unsavouries hanging round in the carpark of course! Can't quite work out what that half wall/entrance thing they've built is though.

Originally posted by Rich
It's all part of the Government's plan to let pubs open 24 hours eventually.. They mistakenly think that if the pubs are open longer it'll stop a lot of binge drinking... :loopy:

Trust the Government to get it wrong big style, Blair is an idiot.

This makes me so angry! I dont cause trouble, dont vomit everywhere yet I quite like staying out all night and having some fun. Many people like this exist.

If the police did their job and enforced existing laws about not being drunk and disorderly in public surely this would solve the problem more easily than imposing group punishment on the whole population? Lets have harsher punishments on the people causing the problem rather than penalising everyone.

Originally posted by Greybeard
That seems a fair decision on the Blue Ball's application and it's good to see the council taking a proactive role in the matter.

However, there are three other pubs/bars in close proximity to the Blue Ball, so it will be interesting to see what extended hours these are granted. If the Shakespear, for instance, were to be allowed to serve booze until 1am on Firdays and Saturdays the council will look a little silly. ;)

Pubs and clubs had until the end of the other weekend to apply for a converted license, i.e, to convert their current license to a new one - with or without variations to opening/closing times, etc. Only the police, Environmental Protection or local residents can object to a new license. If there are no objections - the new license is automatically granted, including any variations to opening/closing times. The council itself is prohibited by law from making any objections.

Also, the council has to make decisions based on each individual application, and is prohibited by law from making a decision based on such factors as the number of other licensed premises within the vicinity, and their opening/closing times. However, in due course, the police and the council can, if required, consider the "cumulative impact" of various drinking establishments within a defined area. But for the time being, the Licensing Board is processing a considerable volume of new license applications where there are unresolved objections. On Thursday, the Licensing Board starts sitting at 10 a.m., and the last case is currently scheduled for 8 p.m. The Board then recommences sitting on Friday at 10 until 4. Our aim is to resolve all licensing objections as quickly as possible - hence the need to sit at least 3 days a week at present, compared to the usual once a fortnight.

Originally posted by Greybeard
Pubs have been able to apply to open 24hrs under the new regulations, - very few have because it would be uneconomic.

Staggered hours won't work because the one pub won't want to lose custom to the pub down the road,which is why they've all applied for the same hours; and anyway the only staggering would be from the drunks moving from a pub that closes at 11 pm to the pub that closes at midnight.

If Blair is an idiot why has he won three elections on the trot ? It can only be that the majority of the British electorate are even bigger idiots ;)

Cos Labour is the lesser of 3 evils Politically.. Nobody wants the Tories back in, and the Lib Dems are a bit of a non-entity as they have no noteable policies...

Originally posted by Cyclone
sounds like quite a reasonable response. it will be interesting to see how well it works.

How often can the licensee apply for a change to the license RR?

All licensees must have a new license. New licenses come into effect at the end of November. Licensees had until the end of the other weekend to apply for a converted license, (i.e., to convert their existing license to a new license). Any licensee who has missed this closing date can no longer apply for a converted license, but must now apply for a new license. If there are any licensed premises that do not possess a new license by the end of November, then they will probably have to cease trading until they apply for and are granted a new license. A license now lasts indefinitely, or until there is a change in the licensee, or if an application to vary the license is granted.

Once the new Licensing Act comes into force at the end of November, a licensee can apply for a variation to their existing license whenever they wish. A variation might be to open earlier, close later, play music, hold live performances, hold dances, etc.

Does anyone know whether this is a popular pub? Is it a haunt of Wednesday fans on match days? Is it a spit n sawdust place - it looks a bit tatty from outside?

Originally posted by theripsaw
Does anyone know whether this is a popular pub? Is it a haunt of Wednesday fans on match days? Is it a spit n sawdust place - it looks a bit tatty from outside?

Its busy at weekends yes, mainly chavs though. You will be OK if you 'fit in' with the standard weekend 'chav night out look'.....upmarket version though as Hillsborough is TRYING to improve its old image....

I'm not a fan of the place myself. I've been a few times when I lived not so far away and there was always a lot of trouble there.
Saying that I've not been for over a year so maybe it has changed.....

This place used to be a good pub, but the increase of the chav element and under 18's only policy has ruined it. I used to love going there on a Thurs and Sun nights about 2-3 years ago.

On a match day it is full of the burberry crew, drowning there sorrows before the Owls lose again!!

This place used to be a good pub, but the increase of the chav element and under 18's only policy has ruined it. I used to love going there on a Thurs and Sun nights about 2-3 years ago.

Yeah I agree. £1 a drink on Sunday was great :clap: It's always been a "hole" but the clientelle they attract nowadays leave a lot to be desired!

Also the beer is rank! :gag:

What a DIVE need i say anymore??????:gag: :gag:

Originally posted by debilde
This place used to be a good pub, but the increase of the chav element and under 18's only policy has ruined it. I used to love going there on a Thurs and Sun nights about 2-3 years ago.

On a match day it is full of the burberry crew, drowning there sorrows before the Owls lose again!! not much burberry going on it's a Wednesday pub.Bit more style you see. Must agree it is a rough hole though, not a place to take a lady.

some info here (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49859&highlight=blue+ball+pub)

It's a fighting pub. No place for a bloke who likes his pint.

used to go twice a week, mondays and thurdays, for a quid a pint.....

it was so packed that you could put yer feet up on a table without having to have a chair to sit on!

:thumbsup:

Originally posted by pete_fcs
used to go twice a week, mondays and thurdays, for a quid a pint.....

it was so packed that you could put yer feet up on a table without having to have a chair to sit on!

:thumbsup:
I went on a Thursday every week... when was 16, but got bored lol.

I don't bother with Hillsborough now

Originally posted by theripsaw
Does anyone know whether this is a popular pub? Is it a haunt of Wednesday fans on match days? Is it a spit n sawdust place - it looks a bit tatty from outside?

Lived in hillsborough for a while and the Ball is, and always will be, a dump.

Don't bother :thumbsup:

Cheap meals though, me and a mate went in at dinner time during the week once and it was less than 3 quid for Scampi and chips :D

Originally posted by rawkinrich
Lived in hillsborough for a while and the Ball is, and always will be, a dump.

Don't bother :thumbsup:

It always gives me the impression of an out of control youth club/detention centre.

I prefer the shaky, nice pub with some good dj's. Pours a nice pint o fosters.

Mmmm fosters.

Horrid pit...end of.

Used to go there back in my student days at Sheffield College as one of my mates was born and bred in Hilsborough.

The last time I was in there I witnessed a guy walk ten feet from a pooltable to wallop a bloke playing on a fruitmachine across the back with his cue for no dicernable reason.

A mate even had his engagement do there...needless to say that ended in tears as well.:gag:

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - any pub with that many CCTV cameras bolted on every possible external fixture is one to be avoided.
My favourite Blue Ball customer was the lovely woman who pulled out of their car park in front of me - Fiesta with the obligatory silly wheels/thumping stereo etc, I'm not too sure she knew what she looked like with her fag in one hand and bottle of Stella in the other! It was so tragic I actually had to pull into the Jet garage for a giggle.

i live near the ball and i heard its the 8th worst pub in england or something!

For at least the last 30 years the Ball has been well known for underage drinkers.

As each generation of 15/16 year olds comes along they think it is a good pub, as soon as they hit the early 20's they realise it is a dump and move somewhere else, leaving room for the new bunch of 15/16 year olds.

No matter how many refurbs and landlords it has had, it has always been the same.

you can probably guarantee some sort of trouble in here, and that could possible be just from the bouncers! Mindless thugs, that would take to giving you a good hiding if you were messing around in here!

Given the fact that I used to be a regular at this place when i was 16, i wouldn't bother with it now. Spesh on a Thursday where it attracts allsorts of chabbies!! :rant:

I have just being reading the posts about the Ball and have to say I think some of you are totally wrong.

I am a reagualr in the ball and I am definatly NOT a chav, I don't fight and I don't wear burburry!!

The crowd I am in is mostly guys and some of them do occasionally get into trouble but no more than most places.

I have been to far worse places and yeah there is underage drinking but I was going down town at 14 (I am now 21) and never once got asked for ID, it happens everywhere.

Well I had to stick up for my local, I know not many people will agree but thats my opinion!!

I'll agree with you,
I go down to ball 4 or 5 times a week and it does attract some chav's the majority on Thursdays and there is trouble but its no worse than town and no where near as bad as people make it out to be.

There's not many under age drinkers....may be the odd 17 year old, it is a pub for the younger generation

When i get to my mid 20's a doubt i'll be going to the ball......ad feel to old :D

ive been in there a few times cant say ive noticed much trouble did notice the underage drinkers

I am amazed, someone agrees with me!!

I used to go in there for £1 a drink on Monday and Thursday's years ago which was good.

But it started to become full of chav's and there was always a lot of fighting and trouble a couple of years ago so I stopped going in altogether. It was similar to Dikkins with the trouble, group fights etc and that had to close.

Originally posted by valentine
For at least the last 30 years the Ball has been well known for underage drinkers.

As each generation of 15/16 year olds comes along they think it is a good pub, as soon as they hit the early 20's they realise it is a dump and move somewhere else, leaving room for the new bunch of 15/16 year olds.

No matter how many refurbs and landlords it has had, it has always been the same.

I understand that The Ball has had same the landlord for the past 16 years.

Originally posted by steelcitybab
some info here (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49859&highlight=blue+ball+pub)

Thanks, threads merged.