Police in warning to licensees as pressure to flout law grows

Scarborough Inspector Tony Quinn said many of the problems associated with the night-time economy were attributed to late night openings and the sale of low cost alcohol in supertores, which encouraged people to drink at home and go out later.

And while he maintained that he sympathised with licensees, who have to compete to make profits amid growing pressures, he stressed police would take a no-nonsense approach when licensing laws were flouted.

Insp Quinn said: “Pubs and clubs, like a lot of other businesses, are under extreme pressure. They are being squeezed by the fact there is cheap alcohol available in supermarkets along with late night opening hours.

“A lot of problems are not the fault of the licensees. Pubs are not meant to serve people who are drunk, but it must be very difficult if people are already arriving in town under the influence. Whereas previously they may be able to monitor them through the night in their premises, that opportunity doesn’t exist any more.

“We want Scarborough to be safer and licensed premises to be successful but that can’t come at the expense of safety of people visiting pubs and clubs.”

The warning comes after a Scarborough bar owner who sold 400 tickets for a sixth-form “freshers” party when its capacity was just 100 was given a “final warning” and 19 new conditions on his licence.

Gary Williams, who runs Tonics in Waterhouse Lane, nearly had his licence revoked by the council’s licensing sub-committee last week.

But officials decided to impose the conditions, including a ban on anyone under 18 going into the premises during operating hours, after Mr Williams acknowledged his mistakes.

A second license review is due to take place next month, after police raised concerns over underage drinking at Vivaz nightclub, in Huntriss Row, as well as issues surrounding a lack of care by door staff.

Officers have requested that extra conditions be imposed on the venue’s licence including reducing opening hours at weekends.

But owner Paul Murray, who is also chairman of the Scarborough Pub Watch Scheme, said he has complied with previous police requests to cut crime and disorder and has launched a petition to try and save the venue.

“I am very sympathetic towards licensees but in the end my priority is the safety of people and preventing crime,” said Insp Quinn.

Last summer the Yorkshire Post revealed that Scarborough and Whitby MP Robert Goodwill has called for this united front in a bid to roll out a co-ordinated licensing strategy that will cut back opening hours and boost the early evening economy in the region’s top coastal resorts.

Mr Goodwill, who is working closely with the Scarborough safer communities partnership, as well as accident and emergency services in the area, hopes to get pubs and clubs in Scarborough and Whitby to come to an agreement to cut opening hours.

He hopes this will tackle problems with excessive drinking and bring a café culture to the seaside resorts.

“It’s a work in progress. We are hoping we can get some sort of agreement in place but failing that we will have to look at where the Government needs to take action,” he said.

Mr Goodwill, who said he also sympathised with the growing pressure placed on licensees, added that the Government was looking at a number of measures in a bid to tackle the issue, including clamping down on cheap supermarket alcohol and introducing a late night levy, which will allow local authorities to introduce a charge for premises that have a late alcohol licence.