Bar launches its appeal against revoked licence
THE LOCOMOTIVE ALLOWED TO GO ON SERVING ALCOHOL WHILE FIGHTING DECISION FOLLOWING VIOLENT BRAWLS, AND HEARING IS POSTPONED TO NOVEMBER
A BURTON nightclub has launched its fight against a move to revoke its alcohol sales licence after police were called to dozens of fights at the venue.
The Locomotive, in Station Street, was subjected to scrutiny by Staffordshire Police earlier this year when officers claimed there had been 27 reported incidents of fighting and anti-social behaviour in and outside the club between lockdowns.
In one incident, a mass brawl involving 20 people took place, with some using knives and a baseball bat, they said.
Officers told licensing chiefs another fight moved into the road outside the venue, with the victim being punched and kicked.
Police applied to East Staffordshire Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee to revoke the Locomotive’s licence for the second time in less than two years.
The sub-committee chose to revoke the licence but, under licensing terms, the bar legitimately continues to trade and sell alcohol during its ongoing appeal process.
Bosses from the bar were due to appear at North Staffordshire Justice Centre on Monday for the appeal hearing, but it has now been adjourned after the court ran out of time to hear the case. It is now scheduled for November 18.
The incidents took place between September 17, 2019 and October 31, 2020.
Sergeant James Finn, of Staffordshire Police, previously told the licensing hearing that steps had been taken to iron out problems at the Locomotive.
He claimed there were no further conditions which could be added to the licence to address its issues.
Members also heard from Duncan Craig on behalf of the premises licence holder, Pam Kaur.
Mr Craig argued the more time that had elapsed since an incident, the less weight it should carry.
He said “a remarkable amount of resources” had been thrown at the matter by Staffordshire Police and a high degree of scrutiny had been directed towards the premises.
He believed it was his seventh attendance at a hearing of the sub-committee in respect of the Locomotive.
He said the premises was heavily conditioned and pointed out it was in the middle of Burton, which he described as a challenging town to manage.
However, members of the sub-committee decided on May 13 to revoke the premises licence for the second time, saying their licensing objectives were being undermined as stated by the police.