Pub’s longer hours rejected (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Pub’s longer hours rejected

8:37pm Tuesday 27th February 2007 in Search By Carl Brown

A CONTROVERSIAL application to extend a pub's licensing hours has been refused.

Lincoln's, in Leytonstone High Road, had its late licence revoked in 2005 following complaints from people living nearby of noise, nuisance, vandalism, drug-taking, illegal parking and violence near its premises in the early hours of the morning.

The decision was later upheld by Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Last week the pub's managers Jerry Nyoni and Marshall Maposa, attempted to convince a council licensing sub-committee that since they took over in July 2005, things have improved.

Mr Nyoni said: "We serve African food and are trying to attract a different clientele. The bulk of our customers are professional people.

"It will never be a nightclub again. The extra hours are to benefit our customers."

Their solicitor said that the new tenants had taken steps to ensure there were no problems. They have employed two door staff and a steward to patrol external areas.

They applied for their trading hours to be extended by one hour on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

Residents accepted that things have improved, but said this was mainly due to the reduction in the pub's licensing hours.

They, Leytonstone ward councillors Clyde Loakes, Marie Pye and Jenny Gray, and PC Peter Neale, all felt that an extension would likely to lead to a rise in anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Loakes said: "The residents have clearly outlined the situation that develops when we allow this pub to have a late licence.

"The community should have it clear in its mind that this is about as far from a local boozer as you can get. Very few people from the local community appear to use this pub."

The sub-committee refused the licence on the grounds that extended hours would create crime and disorder, endanger public safety and cause public nuisance.

Members also said that children attending Davies Lane Primary School would be exposed to empty cans and broken glass littering the road and front gardens.

The fact that Lincoln's is sited in a residential area was also a factor that informed the councillors' decision.

THE managers of Lincoln's have slammed the decision not to grant the extended licence, saying that the planning reasons given were not valid.

Marshall Maposa said: "The residents don't seem to appreciate the amount of hard work we have put in to the premises to turn it around.

"I don't think it would have hurt anybody if we stayed open just for an hour longer on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

"We have got systems in place to ensure that the extra hours will not blight residents' lives."

The licensing sub-committee said that the extension would breach four licensing objectives - prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance and prevention of children from harm.

Mr Maposa said that there have been hardly been any reports to the police of incidents in or around Lincoln's in the last 14 months.

He added: "I have never heard of a child being injured by broken glass near Lincoln's."

Mr Maposa denied claims from residents that the extension was applied for so that a better deal could be made when selling the pub.He insisted the pub had been withdrawn from the market a while ago, and a current advertisement on a website should have been removed.

PEOPLE living near to Lincoln's have expressed their relief at the decision to refuse it a late license.

Forty-three people sent letters opposing the licence extension.

People feared that if the pub was granted a late licence, past problems including noise, vandalism, drug-taking, illegal parking, vomiting and urinating on property, would return to the area.

Flash Wilson-Bristow, 31, of Davies Lane, was among the campaigners who succeeded in persuading the council's licensing sub-committee to refuse the application.

Mrs Wilson-Bristow said: "We are too exhausted to be happy, just relieved that it did not go through.

"We should not have to fight for peace within our own estate. If they appeal we will continue to fight them."