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News blog
Walsall Licensing 15 Sep 10
A door supervisor has been found guilty of assault following an incident at a pub in Walsall town centre.
Lennie Greenaway, aged 25, from Birmingham, was seen to push a customer out of a doorway. The customer fell to the ground and was knocked unconscious when his head hit the pavement…
Comment
Walsall Licensing 6 Aug 10
Those of us working in the area of licensing have two opportunities to influence law and policy both locally and nationally. Every three years, Walsall Council are required to publish a “Statement of Licensing Policy” which describes how the authority and partners will deal with licensing applications and other related matters.
The policy is due for review and interested parties can read the draft policy and comment on it at the following site… (link below)
News
The YamYam 11 Feb 10
Having been told by Walsall Council to pull down a smoking shelter, Gala Bingo in Wednesbury has responded with revised plans for the structure at St James Bridge in Park Lane.
The 50ft by 20ft shelter, complete with a gaming machine, sound link and a button to press if the smoker wished to call “house”, is situated in the car park. But the Development Control Committee at Walsall Council decided that the shelter should be removed because it was: “detrimental to the character and appearance of the area and safe manoeuvring in the car park.”
Gala Bingo built the shelter as a response to dwindling trade caused by the smoking ban which has resulted in low attendance and the closure of bingo halls across the country. But now the company has re-submitted plans to reduce the size of the structure which, it says, involves only relatively minor works.
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In an unrelated Employment Tribunal in Birmingham, a Willenhall man has been awarded £24,000 for alleged unfair dismissal after he was sacked for smoking outside the gates of his firm`s premises. Supervisor Peter Goody worked for 17 years at Evans & Reid Alloys Ltd of Coseley and was due to be made redundant. He claimed that the company sacked him to avoid redundancy payments. He was fired for “gross misconduct” for smoking outside the factory during breaks in his night shift. The company cited their no smoking policy and the fact that warning signs had been put up inside the factory.
News blog
Cllr Ian Shires 9 Feb 10
A petition has been raised by members of CAMRA, Willenhall History Society, townspeople and local councillors calling for Walsall Council to take urgent action to get the Bell pub fully restored and reopened…
News
The YamYam 27 Jan 10
A police request to revoke the licence of a notorious Pelsall pub has been rejected by Walsall Council. The Queens pub in Norton Road was raided last November by over 40 police officers and a significant amount of drugs including heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis were discovered on the premises.
The pub was temporarily closed but re-opened just before Christmas with a replacement management team. Karen Hughes of Marston’s PLC told the licensing sub-committee that the previous licensee had left the pub and that a replacement was being sought.
“I am not suggesting a pub should be kept open at all costs but a well managed pub can satisfy licensing objectives,” she said.
“It is better than having boarded up premises which do not contribute to the amenity of the area.”
The committee decided that the pub should be allowed to stay open but that its opening hours should be reduced. Instead of closing at 1am on Friday and Saturday, the Queens will now close at midnight. The beer garden will also shut at 10pm and staff are to be given drug awareness training. Local councillor Garry Perry said: “I respect the views of the licensing panel. However, I think that the pub under the current regime and future regime needs to be carefully monitored.”
News
Walsall Advertiser 21 Jan 10
An unsuccessful application to allow a gay bar to be opened in Walsall town centre has been described as a “golden opportunity missed”. Last week, Walsall Council’s licensing committee rejected a licence application from Leslie Hurst for the Altern8 carvery in Bradford Street to be opened as a gay bar in the evenings…
News
The YamYam 17 Jan 10
Walsall town centre has reached its capacity for late night drinking, dining and entertainment according to the council’s licensing committee. It has refused to grant a license to a new bar and restaurant in Bradford Street because Walsall already has enough clubs, pubs and food outlets.
More than £200,000 has already been spent converting the former Mama Africa restaurant into a “superbar” aimed at attracting the gay community in Walsall and beyond. Altern8 was to be a two-storey nightclub employing 15 people. Les Hurst, who applied for the license, said: “We have spent a couple of hundred thousand on it and the majority of work is done. We didn’t think we would have a problem with the license.
“It was turned down under the Cumulative Impact Policy which says any new licensed premises in the town must prove it differentiates from existing premises – which this does as there is no other bar like this for the gay community in Walsall town centre.
“It was to be a superbar over two storeys with a carvery restaurant and snack bar as well as a DJ, games room, TV lounge and live cabaret and dance floor.”
Objecting to the licence application, Sgt John De-Hayes of Walsall Police reported: “This venue is likely to place additional strain on already stretched police resources. There is a proliferation of late night takeaways.”
Licensing officers also objected to the application stating that there were 16 licensed premises and 20 late night refreshment outlets in the town centre. Earlier this month, the licensing committee allowed a notorious Kebab shop to remain open until 5am in spite of objections from the police. The Kebab Ranch, also on Bradford Street, has seen drunken brawls and robberies but has been allowed to continue trading.
Last year, Walsall Trading and Licensing Services claimed that the blocking of a license to Altern8 was an “achievement” as was the Best Bar None award given to Modus Vivendi, a new bar opened in Bridge Street. The report makes no mention of the closure of the Studio 54 nightclub or the Hogshead Bar in Leicester Street which remains vacant. Tommy’s Bar, now known as Pommy’s Bar, in Freer Street was allowed to keep its licence in spite of repeated incidents of violence and selling alcohol to a 13 year old girl.
As part of the application, Altern8 stated that an “instant”, no waiting taxi service would be subsidised by the club and a free shuttle bus service would operate to and from the venue to outlying areas including Birmingham. However, councillor Keith Sears, chairman of the licensing committee, said: “It raised a number of concerns such as the impact a new venue would have on crime and disorder by drawing even more people into the town from within the borough and outside, therefore the committee considered it would have a negative impact in respect of the existing cumulative impact policy.”
Walsall Council are currently objecting to the building of discount food stores in Bescot because it fears that business will be taken away from the town centre.
Mr Hurst says he will appeal against the decision.
News
The YamYam 22 Dec 09
A notorious town centre take-away may be forced to reduce opening hours after two years of monitoring by the police. The Kebab Ranch in Bradford Street has seen drunken fights, robbery, criminal damage and a customer being hit with a glass.
Town centre police have called for a license review of the business which is close to Bradford Place bus station and the Insomnia nightclub. Insomnia is open until the early hours and serves drinks before midnight at £1. After midnight, drinks go up to £1.50.
Security inside the club is considered to be good, but problems arise when drunken revellers emerge into town centre streets. Sergeant John De-Hayes said:
“In my experience, Kebab Ranch seems to be the focus for more disorderly and anti-social behaviour than other establishments in Walsall town centre.”
Police are asking Walsall Council`s licensing sub-committee to restrict opening hours until 2am on Wednesday to Sunday rather than the current 5am closing time. They also want the take-away to employ bouncers to curb trouble in and around the Kebab Ranch.
The licensing sub-committee meets on January 20.
News
Walsall Advertiser 13 Dec 09
Campaigners are celebrating after Pheasey Park Farm Community Centre was granted an extended alcohol and entertainment licence last week despite some local opposition…