Pub shut down over violence fears

The Wetherby, on Park Hill, Swallownest, has been forced to stop pulling pints after South Yorkshire Police requested a fast-track review of its licence.

The move followed a string of “violent” incidents in and around the pubm with the landlady described as being “unable to control patrons on her premises.”

Just four days after the request was submitted, another serious incident took place at the pub.

After hearing evidence at a licensing meeting, Rotherham Borough Council agreed to suspend the licence, using new legislation.

A full review is now under way and a further hearing will take place next Thursday, when the borough council’s licensing sub-committee could decide to close the pub’s doors for good.

Pc Dave Thompson, Rotherham’s licensing officer, said: “This is the first time we have closed a public house using these laws.

“We always try to first work with the landlord and their company to try and resolve any problems they may have at their premises and in most cases, simply improving security at their site can make a difference.

“However, we will not tolerate pubs or clubs that turn a blind eye to incidents happening either inside, or outside their premises and if we have to close them to maintain public safety, then we use all the powers at our disposal to achieve this.”

The decision followed a meeting on January 21 when councillors were shown CCTV footage of two recent incidents of violent behaviour directly outside the pub.

The temporary closure, made under the Licensing Act 2003 and Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, was not challenged by the pub’s parent company.

The committee heard representations from Pc Dave Thompson, as well as landlady Marie Wild.

Members of the committee heard that The Wetherby had been a cause for concern for the police and the borough council for some time.

Councillors were told that numerous meetings with Ms Wild  and the pub’s owners, Enterprise Inns, had not resolved the issue.

Instead, members heard that the licence holder and her employees continued to fail to control patrons.

Pc Dave Thompson gave evidence that despite many months of trying to work with the licensee, serious incidents  had continued to happen regularly.

This week, a spokeswoman for the borough council confirmed that the licence holder and Enterprise Inns were working with the board to try to resolve the matter ahead of next week’s hearing.

The most severe sanction available is that the pub would be closed for good.

Cllr Jahangir Akhtar, Cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said that he was pleased with the outcome.

“Premises which through the way they are managed contribute to anti-social behaviour in an area will be tackled using all the powers that are available to the relevant agencies and appropriate action taken,” he said.