Call to review pub’s licence over ‘regular complaints’

Evidence presented by the police to Sheffield Council’s licensing board shows several problems at the Blue Bell Inn in Hackenthorpe, including cocaine being found in the toilets and a man being knocked unconscious on the premises.

Officers also say the pub has breached several of its licensing conditions by using glass rather than plastic glasses outside, allowing customers to drink outside the designated drinking area, creating noise by opening windows and also “not taking proper control of the premises” by allowing customers to urinate in the garden.

At a meeting on Monday, a licensing committee chaired by Coun John Campbell will consider the Blue Bell’s licence.

Members could decide to close the pub or allow it to remain open under conditions.

In a report set to go before the meeting, Andrea Marsden, on behalf of South Yorkshire Police, says there have been five different designated premises supervisors at the Blue Bell, in Main Street, since May last year.

She said: “On January 19 2011, as a result of further calls re noise complaints, the police attended and spoke to a female who was covering for the designated premises supervisor, who was currently on holiday. It was noted that this person smelt heavily of intoxicants.

“The refusals register had not been completed, she did not know how to operate the CCTV system, the toilet area tested positive for cocaine and there was no evidence that the premises were being managed adequately.”

Two days later, a joint visit by the council and police to the Blue Bell found six breaches of the pub’s licence.

Police also attended several times in April, including after a serious assault took place in which a man was knocked unconscious.

One neighbour told Sheffield Council: “My wife and I are elderly and just want a bit of peace and quiet in our lives, which we are definitely not getting because of the way this pub is run and the problems with its customers.”

A spokesman for Enterprise Inns, which runs the Blue Bell, declined to comment yesterday.