Partner agencies have used their extensive legal powers to ensure urgent improvements at a Talbot Green pub.
The case relating to the Hand and Squirrel is an example of how partner agencies can join forces and present evidence to secure improvements to protect the public.
Violent disorder that broke out at an 18th birthday party at the venue, leading to three police officers being injured, was the trigger point for the intervention at the Hand and Squirrel.
Council Licensing and Trading Standards officers, as well as South Wales Police officers and residents, came together to present evidence to members of the Licensing Committee.
The review of the license of the Hand and Squirrel, currently held by W Licensing Ltd, led to a series of conditions being placed on the venue and its staff to ensure such an incident never happened again.
Investigations into the incident made it clear that poor management (including irresponsible sale of alcohol to people who were already very drunk) and lack of controls to prevent the sale of alcohol to the underage led to the incident.
Entertainment – taking place at the venue without the necessary permission – was unsupervised, as was the activity of a number of people who were under the age of 18.
The problems combined into a violent disorder which required police response, leading to the injury of the officers. It also caused serious concerns among the community about their health and wellbeing, as described by local residents’ representations to the Licensing Committee.
Paul Cannon, Chair of the Community Safety Partnership, said:
“The violent disorder at the birthday party prompted serious concerns about the effectiveness of management at the venue.
The Premises Licence was held by Pubs and Bars Ltd, which has gone into administration. The licence has been transferred to the Tyne & Wear based W Licensing Ltd whose representative was warned that further incidents of this nature could lead to revocation of the Licence.
“It is hoped that the new conditions, which must be adhered to by law, will enable management and supervision at the Hand and Squirrel to be strengthened and improved for the safety of those who frequent the premises and also the wider public.”
The conditions imposed were:
– The current CCTV system must be updated to a colour version that is able to produce DVD copies. Its equipment must be out of the reach and view of customers and the system must cover all public areas in the pub. The new system is to be approved by a police architectural liaison officer and installed within two months.
– All alcohol supplied for consumption on the premises must be consumed within its boundaries and no open bottles or containers are to be removed.
– Any alcohol supplied for off-site consumption is to be sealed.
– Door supervisors, with a ratio of one supervisor for every 50 persons present with a minimum of two supervisors on duty from the start of any event in the function room.
– The Licensee must be responsible for accurately recording the number of customers entering and leaving the premises during an organised event being held in the first floor function room. Such information must be available on request to an officer and records must be kept for at least 12 months.
– A door supervisor duty and incident log must be kept on the premises and kept up to date. Again, such information must be available to an authorised officer on request and kept for at least 12 months.
– The license holder must provide a safe capacity for the venue and such capacity will be reflected as a license condition
– Customers must not enter or re-enter the premises after 11pm.
– A Challenge 21 scheme, as promoted by the Community Safety Partnership, must be in place, including:
1. Displaying of warning signs that persons who appear to be under the age of 21 will be asked for identification.
2. Persons who appear to be under the age of 21 will be checked for appropriate ID.
The only acceptable forms of ID are:
– Passport (not expired)
– Photo driving license
– PASS accredited proof of age (Rhondda Cynon Taf promotes Validate)
– All staff and door supervisors to receive training concerning use of the Challenge 21 scheme and acceptable forms of identification. Such training will be documented and signed and dated to ensure staff understand it. A written record of the training schedule and signed and dated documentation must be kept on the premises and be available on request from an authorised officer. Records must be kept for at least 12 months.
– All staff to receive refresher training at least every six months concerning the above and written records of such refresher training to be made available.
– A booking register will be in place for all activities in the function room to contain:
– name, telephone number and address of person hiring the room
– a description of the event.
– name of responsible person/event organiser and their contact details if different from above.
The register must be kept on the premise and available upon request for inspection. Records to be kept for at least a year.
– All persons involved in the retail sale of alcohol at the premises to be at least 18.
– The DPS, a personal licence holder or an appropriate person with written authorisation must be present to supervise all activities and events in the function room.
– The Licensing Authority must be informed immediately of any changes in tenancy at the address.
