A DENTON bar has had its licence revoked after those in charge were found to have ‘completely failed.’
More than a dozen people were caught on CCTV, with some inhaling nitrous oxide balloons and other clearly brandishing snap bags containing substances, outside the Crown Point Tavern – more than four hours after it was meant to have closed.
Licensee Lee Bayley was also standing alongside them and at one stage when asked why they were there, he replied: “Why not?”
Tameside Council’s Speaker’s Panel (Liquor Licensing) panel heard concerns around the Market Street venue started just two months after Bayley and partner Marie Tunney took charge of the licence in February.
On the key incident, Bayley – who became licensee as director of the holding company, Crown Point Central – insisted the gathering was a private party with work colleagues and had ‘no clue’ the balloons being inhaled contained nitrous oxide.
However, the panel took the dimmest of views after hearing of repeated concerns and removed the premises’ licence.
And the 42-year-old bricklayer – who was asked twice ‘Do you know what the licensing objectives are?’ – admitted they had ‘messed up’ and vowed to put it right had they kept their licence.
He also claimed those outside until at least 3.40am, when it should have closed at 11pm on June 22, were drinking ‘lemonade or something’ and attempted to suggest tanning drugs were being offered around.
He said: “I was in the cellar. I’d been working that day and it was one of the lads’ birthdays, so I said, ‘Come to the Tavern,’ and they came.
“They weren’t drinking beer, were they? I didn’t serve any beer.
“I was cleaning the cellar and doing what I had to do. I’d been working on site all today and I clean the lines at nighttime.
“I’d just been on holiday and they were selling those balloons at the bar, so I didn’t think anything of it. I just thought, ‘D***heads.’
“I didn’t put two and two together until I was told.
“And when I saw people outside talking, I thought, ‘That doesn’t look like a bag of coke. It might be a bag of weed.’
“But there is a tanning tablet. I’ve seen them.
“It’s not intentional but I get it. I’m really sorry for everything that’s happened. We get it, we messed up.
“I bought the pub for Marie and my children, but I didn’t have a clue that the balloons were drugs.”
Referring to the snap bags that were clearly visible, he added: “I don’t think it was ‘sniff’ but I’m a 42-year-old man with nine kids. I might be a little bit behind on drugs and stuff like that but I’m learning.”
At one point, designated premises supervisor (DPS) Marie Tunney attempted to claim: “Everything’s just been blown out of proportion.”
PC Craig Foley, Greater Manchester Police’s licensing officer for Tameside, told the hearing: “Both Lee Bayley and Marie Tunney have demonstrated they are not upholding the licensing objectives.
“I would consider that all four objectives have been breached by both the premises licence holder and the DPS.
“They’ve not been adhered to and I don’t believe the licence holder and the DPS are able to adhere to them.”
Rebecca Birch, Tameside Council’s regulatory compliance officer, attended the premises on April 4, when concerns were noticed, including there being no CCTV checks being carried out, no staff training being recorded and toilet checks not being done regularly enough.
The lack of Pubwatch membership was also flagged up and at a follow-up visit on June 24, the inability to transfer CCTV footage on to a portable drive was also noted.
However, Mr Bayley insisted that was because, ‘I just don’t have the knowledge to do that.’
She said, though: “Mr Bayley and Miss Tunney have shown blatant disregard for the licensing objectives. I believe it’s proportionate to revoke the licence.
“It was clear Lee Bayley had a clear lack of understanding around licensing.”
Member of the public, Samantha Hughes, took aim at what was presented as a statement in support of the licensees by a serving GMP officer, saying: “I believe it’s wholly untrue.”
“It all feels rather strange and I would want an investigation,” she added, before telling the licensees: “You are not representative of the Denton community. Your establishment is a risk.”
Michael Robinson, head of licensing at Tameside Council, told the pair: “You’ve completely failed.”
In a last plea, Mr Bayley claimed Crown Point Tavern ‘serves the community’ and statement: “I think the community needs it. It does well at serving the community.
“We have a different demographic to a lot of pubs. What you saw on CCTV was my workmates, but a lot of old boys come in. Some are of an age where they don’t know anywhere else.
“If we get to keep the licence, we will be a valued member and a good member of Pubwatch. We can offer a commitment and willingness to work together.”
Despite that, chair of the panel, Cllr Jean Drennan, delivered the verdict: “the panel has decided that the licence be revoked.
“That means the personal licence holder, Lee Bayley, and designated premises supervisor, Marie Tunney, also lose their status.
“The panel considered all options. On balance, we considered the appropriate steps to promote the licensing objectives, given each one had been breached.”