Bar Bow, which has lost its licence following a number of incidents including the assault of Sophie Bancroft
Bar Bow owner James Benbow wanted to revamp the premises but magistrates threw out an appeal to have license reinstated
A licensee has lost his fight to reopen his bar after it was closed following a catalogue of violence, drug dealing and anti-social behaviour.
In July Denbighshire County Council’s licensing committee revoked the licence of Bar Bow in Rhyl after North Wales Police had applied for it to be reviewed.
Owner James Benbow appealed against the decision, after revealing plans for a massive revamp of the Water Street premises, but Llandudno magistrates rejected the appeal, leaving Mr Benow with a bill for costs of £3,000.
Magistrates were shown CCTV footage of several incidents at the town centre pub which, according to the Force’s licensing manager Aaron Haggas highlighted the poor management of the premises.
In one brawl a woman was glassed and another knocked unconscious, and on another occasion a man entered the premises brandishing a hammer and tried to attack a customer.
Under-age children were seen wandering in and out of the bar unsupervised, a man who had been barred from other licensed premises dropped his trousers more than once and exposed himself, and drug dealing and taking appeared to be taking place in the toilets.
In May, John Mark Roberts, 52, headbutted Sophie Bancroft and broke her nose outside the bar. Roberts, from Penyffordd, near Holywell , was jailed for two years last month.
Mr Haggas told the court that Bar Bow was not in the local Pubwatch scheme because it allowed entry to people who were barred from other premises.
He said that Mr Benbow was unwilling to co-operate with the authorities and while he was still in overall charge, no matter who the manager or supervisor was, there would be problems.
“We have had shifts of management before but the problems have continued,” he said.
Mr Benbow told the court that since the licensing committee decision consultants had come up with plans to convert the premises into a pizza restaurant and he intended to proceed with those plans.
Questioned by barrister Chris Moss, on behalf of the council, Mr Benbow said he accepted that the incidents shown were serious but felt the management had acted correctly.
He said that in future he would not be involved as he wanted to concentrate on his other business of property maintenance.
Winston Brown, representing Mr Benbow, said that even if the committee had been right to revoke the licence in July the decision should now be overturned because of the changes proposed.
“You have before you a vision of an entirely different experience,” he said.
Dismissing the appeal, chairman Jean Bryson said the were shocked by the CCTV footage and that the committee’s decision was a correct one.
“Mr Benbow and Miss Jessica Lane (the registered premises supervisor) did not seem to appreciate the seriousness of the incidents and lacked insight. They reacted to incidents instead of putting into place a management plan,” she said.
Mrs Bryson said the consultants’ plans had been submitted at a late stage with no consultation with the authorities and the Bench had no confidence that Mr Benbow would not distance himself from Bar Bow because of his £200,000 investment in the premises.
“The decision was right in July and it is right now,” she added.
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/rhyl-bar-woman-headbutted-loses-12200706
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