LGBTQ venue appeal to extend opening hours in a bid to tackle hate crime
Owners of 'Little J' said extended opening hours would give LGBTQ people the space to socialise without fears of being targeted
Extending the opening hours of a York LGBTQ venue could help tackle hate crimes, its owners have said, as police have disputed claims incidents have surged.
The owners of Little J stated in submissions for a licensing application extending opening hours would give LGBTQ people somewhere to socialise without fear of being targeted at night.
But North Yorkshire Police hate crimes lead Sgt Nigel Collins said force data did not indicate a growth in incidents though they only had details of victims who had come forward.
It comes as a decision on the North Street venue’s bid to extend its opening hours from the current 11pm was adjourned on Monday, September 29.
A York Council licensing hearing on Little J’s application has been moved to Monday, October 27 for further noise assessments and confirmation on whether the venue is a listed building.
The hearing follows calls from members of the local LGBTQ community for councillors to back the venue’s bid to stay open for longer.
Little J has applied to extend its opening hours to 3am from Sunday to Wednesday and to 4am from Thursday to Saturday.
Its owners have said the change would bring it into line with other mainstream venues. But the police and council objected over concerns about allowing another venue to open late in an area where there is already late-night drinking, antisocial behaviour and crime.
In documents submitted as part of their application, the venue’s owners stated there was a woeful lack of spaces for LGBTQ people which was leading to them going elsewhere.
They added the existence of a late-night safe space would help tackle social isolation among members of the community, benefit their mental health and enrich York’s cultural and creative fabric.
Sgt Collins, who oversees hate crime reports at North Yorkshire Police and liaises with affected communities, said he understood LGBTQ people had a perception that York was unsafe for them. But he added the force’s data did not support that.
Little J, which has been open for around a year, hosts concerts, dance classes, performances and other events catering for the LGBTQ community. It is thought to be the only space of its kind in North Yorkshire and has capacity for up to 120 people.
A demonstration in support of the venue’s bid was held outside York Council’s full meeting on Thursday, September 18.
A petition supporting its application was signed by 1,744 people as of Monday, September 29 and York groups including the city’s LGBT Forum and York Pride have publicly backed it.
The force stated in their objection that the area was under stress from late-night crime and disorder and they had been unable to reach an agreement with the applicant.
They have called on councillors to agree to several conditions controlling the way the venue operates if they approve the application.
They added it was close to homes, a church and hotel and noise controls should be put in place if the extension of opening hours is approved.