Ex-Falcons star loses extended pub hours bid
Jan 9 2009 by Brian Daniel, The Journal
A FORMER Newcastle Falcons rugby player’s bid to open his pub until 3am has been thrown out, amid stinging criticism from police.
Paul Van-Zandvliet, owner of the Falcon’s Rest in Alnwick, Northumberland, last night failed in his attempt to secure extended opening seven days a week.
The town centre pub had applied to vary its licence for live and recorded music, and sale of alcohol – which would be allowed 24 hours a day for people living on the premises, their guests and employees. But the application faced opposition from Northumbria Police, Alnwick District Council’s environmental health department and the public, with 10 letters of objection submitted.
And at a hearing yesterday, police told the council’s licensing sub-committee they regard the Clayport Street premises as problematic. Officers told how alcohol fuelled revellers pour out of the pub into a neighbouring pizza shop, before making their way home through the streets of Alnwick. It was added that some fight and commit criminal damage.
The hearing at Alnwick council chamber was told that the Falcon’s Rest has a “totally disproportionate” number of incidents compared to other establishments in the town.
From June 2006 to August last year, there were 110 incidents relating to the Falcon’s Rest, with a further 10 since August. At the pizza shop, police said there had been a further 37 incidents.
The sub-committee was told that the pub had entered into a responsible management agreement, a rare means of monitoring premises that are breaching their licences, prior to a possible revoke.
However, the hearing was told that the nightspot persistently flouted that agreement by failing to have two registered door staff on duty, with times when there were none. The hearing was also told that Mr Van-Zandvliet is the only qualified doorman. The sub-committee heard that police are “looking at” the licence of the Falcon’s Rest and every other pub in Alnwick.
Councillors were also told that police object to the proposal for sporting events to take place in the pub, fearing that could mean boxing or cage fighting.
Police solicitor Richard Heron said: “We suggest that 3am is too late. These are already problematic premises and to suggest they be given any more time to cause problems is just plain wrong.”
Vanessa Howes, who lives at Green Batt, told the hearing she has had “nothing but trouble” from revellers at the pub, with noise, fights, broken bottles, litter and one of her windows smashed.
The decision means the pub is restricted to its current licence, whereby it is allowed to play music until 1am on Thursdays, 2am on Fridays and Saturdays and midnight on Sundays, subject to conditions. It is permitted to sell alcohol no later than 11pm, and midnight on New Year’s Eve.
