North Tyneside Council’s licensing subcommittee has granted an alcohol and events licence to Another Cheap Thrill Ltd for floors 4-8 of the Beacon Centre car park in North Shields, despite objections from a local resident over noise and safety concerns. The licence caps large-scale live music events at three per year.
Licence Details and Conditions
The company, which previously organised ticketed events at the car park on Saville Street through temporary event notices, can now host a wider range of activities including markets, cultural events, and recorded music. The licence permits alcohol sales from 10am to 10pm, and for events with music or dance, from 5pm to 10pm Monday to Friday and from 12pm to 10pm on weekends and bank holidays.
Council environmental health officers imposed strict conditions to mitigate noise and safety impacts, including illuminated escape routes, a noise monitoring system, and an incident log. These measures follow a previous event in April 2025 where noise slightly exceeded guidelines, as noted by the environmental health department.
Resident Objections
Local resident Dave Thompson objected to the application, citing concerns about noise and public safety. Mr Thompson said: “I am 70 years old, and a lot of the people around are older; there are a number of old folks homes around there. We feel intimidated by this; it’s frightening, it makes North Shields into a no-go area when there are events on.”
Geoff Kirkland, director of Another Cheap Thrill Ltd, acknowledged the concerns but expressed confidence in the proposed safeguards. Mr Kirkland said: “I just believe that using everything that environmental health wants in place and acknowledging what happened previously, I feel that we can address the concerns. I’m not arguing against his concerns.”
Event Capacity and Oversight
For larger-scale events, the premises will still need council sign-off on each proposal. The licence allows up to three large-scale live music events per year, ensuring that the venue does not become a regular source of disruption.
