Damning report in police bid to shut the Charter pub in Ilkeston
DERBYSHIRE police have delivered a damning report on the Charter pub in Ilkeston – and are now seeking to have its licence removed.
The force has delivered more than 1,300 pages of evidence of violent assaults, thefts and drug-taking to Erewash Borough Council's licensing and public protection panel.
Superintendent Gary Parkin says in a letter to the committee: "Police have now lost all confidence in the licence holder and with the management running the premises on a day-to-day basis.
"The police are extremely concerned at the level of recorded criminal incidents that have, and continue to, take place in and around these premises."
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Mr Parkin expresses his concern about the "serious injuries" that people were suffering in the Charter.
He says: "Derbyshire police take an extremely dim view of those premises and licence holders who fail to manage their premises.
"The patience of the police has now reached its limit.
"We cannot stand by and allow other violent alcohol-related incidents or non-compliance at these premises to go on without challenge."
Since January 2011, 90 incidents and 71 crimes have been recorded at the South Street premises. The majority of the crimes were assaults, of which there were 43, while there were 17 thefts and three drug offences.
Mark Dunn, a licensing enforcement officer at St Mary's Wharf in Derby, says in a statement to the committee that the incidents logged by the staff differed in their seriousness to what the police had recorded.
He adds that the number of "drunk" people leaving the pub was, in his view, unacceptable.
He says: "In my opinion, many of the incidents and crimes that have occurred at the premises can have only resulted from poor management and the lack of adequate staff training."
John Gaunt and Partners, acting on behalf of Bramwell Pubs and Bars Limited, which holds the licence, tells the committee in a letter: "It is denied that these premises operate in such a way as to undermine the licensing objectives.
"It is specifically denied that the premises are operated in such a manner as to undermine the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety or prevention of public nuisance.
"The management at the premises and licence holder remain committed to working with the police and other responsible authorities in relation with this site."
The review will take place on Monday, January 29, at Ilkeston Town Hall at 10am.
The meeting may continue into Tuesday because of the amount of information.
Comments
by smshogun
Thursday, January 17 2013, 3:23PM
“I note the term in and around the pub, this gives a totally different perspective as taxis queue on the market and down South Street right past this pub and many confrontations are actually outside and are taxi related arguments. In addition there is a take away right opposite and there are regularly large crowds outside here spilling right out over the road, so two major external issues totally unrelated to the pub. Many waiting for taxis and at the take away go in and use this pubs toilets and many try to go in and get a drink to take outside while they wait for their taxis or others in the take away.
I would say these two other issues contribute more to alcohol fuelled violence than the pub.”