Police fears over pub ‘base’ for teen yobs
THE exploits of a teen gang blighting Ormskirk town centre have been laid bare by police.
The youths, the eldest just 17, have been linked to drug dealing, carrying blades and throwing stones at passers-by.
Police fear their behaviour is blighting the town and are targeting a pub said to be at the heart of their anti-social activity.
Five incidents linked to the gang have been recorded at The Queens Head since December 18, though the company that recently took over its lease said it was willing to work with the authorities “to eradicate any past issues”.
Incidents in recent months include what police described as the “disturbing” scene of a 16-year-old staggering from the Moor Street pub supported by mates.
More than a dozen further complaints linked to the gang’s wider activity in the town centre have been documented by police since June. They include: Six youths throwing stones at a runner.
12-20 youths throwing stones at a different man.
Up to 20 youths reportedly smoking cannabis and possessing blades.
20 youths shouting racist abuse outside the home of a resident.
At least 40 youths causing “nuisance” outside nearby bar Nordico Lounge.
20 youths intimidating customers outside a town centre venue.
Youths climbing on the roof of Boots and insulting staff.
The gang is said to feature a core group of troublemakers aged 16, led by a 17-year-old boy with convictions for assault, burglary, theft and breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order.
Their actions led to Lancashire police launching Operation Bavarian last February in a bid to counter the gang but the operation appears to have been undermined by the group’s access to The Queens Head.
In documents submitted to West Lancashire Borough Council, the force said: “Youth A and the group around him are all children.
“A responsibly run premises that was contributing to the licensing objectives of prevention of harm to children, public safety, prevention of crime and disorder and prevention of nuisance would simply not have tolerated them in the premises.
“Despite numerous police interventions, warnings and advice Youth A and his associates have frequently been found inside The Queens Head.”
PCSO Dan Parker described it as “a matter of grave concern” that “children involved in causing such serious issues within the town centre appear to be able to come and go within The Queens Head as they please and to dominate the entrance as if they own the place.
“This situation will have a significant impact on levels of crime and disorder in Ormskirk town centre.”
The details were revealed in an application by police for a review of the pub’s licence.
If the application is successful it could lead to a hearing where options available to the council’s licensing committee will include removing its permission to sell alcohol.
Further incidents linked to the pub include fighting, the arrest of customers for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, and searches of drinkers leading to seizures of cocaine, “burner phones” and cash amounts those questioned could not explain.
The application states that the premises licence holder is the national firm Greene King Brewing and Retailing Ltd, though the company has effectively leased The Queens Head for others to manage.
A series of issues with the running of the pub have been recorded since 2017, leading to a situation described by police as one in which: “Open drug dealing has taken hold within the premises, where single staff have been left to try and run the premises and where the presence of groups of children known for anti-social behaviour within the premises and in the surrounding area has become frequent and tolerated.”
From 2017 to late 2019 the leaseholder was Funky Owl Pubs (Holdings), according to the documents.
A contact phone number on the firm’s website directed callers to BT this week, while an attempt to contact its email led to an automated response that it was “no longer trading”.
The lease was transferred to Tap Room (Holdings) Ltd.
Adam Garnett, the company’s director, said that Tap Room Ltd took over on December 23.
He said: “The Queens Head is no longer under operational control of Funky Owl Pubs. It is now run by The QHO Tap Ltd who are fully committed to working with West Lancs licensing in order to restore the pub to how it should be, and to eradicate any past issues that are attached to it.”
A spokesman for Greene King, which police wrote to in September 2019 to highlight concerns with how the pub was being run, said: “As a responsible pub company promoting safe and welcoming pubs nationwide we treat reports like this extremely seriously.
“We are speaking with our tenant, the police and local authority to address the concerns raised about the way the pub has been operated.”