Damning reports into pub revealed
The Charter, Ilkeston.
As an Ilkeston pub faces losing its licence, documents have been released showing the true extent of concerns about violence at The Charter.
Last year we revealed that police had ‘lost confidence’ in the South Street pub and had asked for Erewash Borough Council to revoke its licence.
Ahead of a meeting to discuss the pub’s future, the authority has released damning documents from the force and its own licencing manager, condemning staff’s ‘inability’ to control fights in and around the premises.
Licencing enforcement officer Pc Mark Dunn said that of the 90 incidents recorded between January 2011 and October 2012, 43 were violent.
Most of those occurred late on Saturday nights and officers have visited The Charter more than any other pub in Erewash.
The pub seems ‘content on getting customers intoxicated and eject them from the premise to be left to their own devices and then leave police to deal with the aftermath’, he added.
And manager of Ritz Bingo Mark Lowe said his elderly customers were put off visiting at night because of violence at the pub next door.
In a letter, he said he had seen his building being used as a toilet by pub-goers.
“On a regular basis my staff has to clean up human waste that has been left behind with items of underwear, condoms and female sanitary products,” he said.
But Ilkeston Pub Watch argued that revoking the licence would be ‘unfair and unjust’ and adversely affect the town’s night time economy.
Chairman Paul Gaughan suggested the pub should stick to a ratio of one door supervisor to 50 customers, upgrade its CCTV and end all drinks promotions.
A spokesman from Bramwell Pubs and Bars, which owns the premises, claimed it was ‘totally committed to ensuring The Charter continues to be a safe environment’.
Councillors could revoke or modify the licence when they meet on Tuesday January 29.
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Saturday 25 May 2013
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