Nightclub loses appeal against booze ban

A TOWN-centre nightclub banned from selling alcohol because it supplied underage drinkers has lost an appeal against the sentence – despite claims that 20 staff might lose their jobs.
Rejecting the appeal at Warrington Crown Court, Judge Roger Dutton said: “This was not merely a trivial breach of the licensing legislation but driving a coach and horses through the legislation.”
Club Casi, of Mersey Street, Warrington had its drinks licence suspended for three months by the town’s magistrates last year.
Licensee Jeffrey Barnett had his personal licence suspended for six months at the same hearing.
The court heard the offences came to light as part of a campaign by Cheshire Police aimed at tackling alcohol-related crime and ensuring licensed premises adhered to licensing regulations.
On April 14 last year police visited the club and discovered four underage girls drinking alcohol inside. They were each issued with Penalty Notices for Disorder (PNDs) and fined £80.
Seven days later police and Trading Standards officers visited the club and found a different group of underage girls drinking. They were also issued with PNDs.
On May 11 a test purchase was conducted by police and Trading Standards and the club sold alcohol to an underage girl. The person selling the alcohol was issued with a PND and fined £80.
Barnett was present on all three occasions and, at the time, was both premises licence holder and the designated premises supervisor.
The club is owned by The Rock Club Ltd and the appeal was based on the fact that Barnett was only an employee and had been replaced in both roles.
A number of conditions on the licence were offered by the appellants and the court was told 20 staff were at risk of being made redundant.
After the appeal hearing, licensing officer Paul Draycott said: “It is time that licensees realise that they have a duty of care to the people who drink in their pubs and clubs and that they will be held to account if they fall short of the standards we have set. We will continue to target those premises which choose to abuse the law.”