It is now almost a year since the Gloucester Road Cumulative Impact Area (CIA) came into operation. It is perhaps fitting therefore, to look at how successful or otherwise this scheme has been since the full Council’s approval of its designation, 11 months ago.
Its aim, by applying stricter criteria to any application for new or extensions of alcohol licences, was to confront four problem areas that are associated with excessive drinking of alcohol in public:-
- The prevention of crime and disorder
- Public safety
- The prevention of public nuisance
- The protection of children from harm.
By closely scrutinising new alcohol licence applications, the Bishopston Society thought that the Council would effectively put a brake on the rapidly increasing number of premises along the Gloucester Road that serve and/or sell alcohol.
In practice, this hoped for outcome would seem to have failed dismally. The list of applications and the outcomes of the deliberations by the Licensing Committee since August 2010 is given below:-
| Date | Premises | Hours applied for | Outcome |
| Aug ‘10 | Grape and Grind, 101 Glos. Rd. | ? | Not opposed - Granted |
| Oct ‘10 | McColls (near ‘Arches’) | Extension to midnight | Opposed - Granted |
| Nov ‘10 | Portico Play, 64/5 North Road | Limited daytime hours | Opposed - Granted |
| March ‘11 | Rimondos, 395 Glos. Rd. | Daytime and evening hours | Opposed – Granted evening hours only |
| April’11 | Grape and Grind, 101 Glos. Rd. | Extension to 10pm weekdays and 6pm Sundays | Not opposed - Granted |
| May '11 | No 1 Licensed Store, 7, Glos Rd. | 24 hour licence | Refused |
| May ‘11 | Huong Gue Restaurant, 209, Glos. Rd. | Monday to Sunday 12am- 11pm | Granted |
| June ‘11 | J.V.C. Heaven for Food, 370 Glos. Rd. | Extension of hours to bring Sunday into line with weekdays | Granted |
| July ‘11 | Café Grounded, 421-425, Glos. Rd. | Open to 11pm with live & recorded music | Granted |
| Aug ‘11 | Best Convenience Store, 3-5 Ashley Down Rd. | 7 - midnight | Granted |
| Aug ‘11 | Kitchen, 31a, Zetland Road | Extension of hours to 11.30pm | Granted |
| Sept ’11 | Polish Market, 280 Glos Rd. | 8.30 am to midnight | Granted with limited hours to 9.30pm. |