Warning for Scarborough bar boss
A Scarborough bar boss
has been given a “final warning” and a raft of new conditions added
to his licence over concerns about under-age drinking and the
safety of young people.
Gary Williams, who runs Tonics in
Waterhouse Lane, appeared before a Scarborough Borough Council
Licensing Sub-Committee over “significant concerns that the
premises were not being managed effectively and in accordance with
licensing objectives”. He was accused of not adhering to three out
of the four licensing objectives which relate to public safety,
protection of children from harm and prevention of crime and
disorder.
In one incident, 400 tickets had been sold
for a Scarborough Sixth Form “freshers’ party” – four times the
capacity considered to be safe. If allowed to go ahead, council
officers believe it could have resulted in serious casualties, if
not death. It was stopped at the 11th hour after a
prohibition notice was served by the fire authority.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Mr
Williams was told the committee had “strongly considered the
revocation of the premises licence” as a result of “numerous
breaches” of his licence. Instead, 19 new conditions were added to
the licence including a ban on anyone under 18 going into the
premises during operating hours.
Cllr Brian Watson, chairman of the
council’s Licensing Committee, who instigated the hearing, said:
“This decision should be a wake-up call for the licensee. He should
be in no doubt that we will not tolerate profit being put before
the safety of young people. I am pleased Mr Williams has
acknowledged his mistakes and look forward to seeing an improved
standard of management at Tonics.”
Scarborough Safer Neighbourhoods Inspector,
Tony Quinn, said: “North Yorkshire Police were keen to support the
application for the review of Tonics owing to some very serious
concerns we had relating to a lack of co-operation when seeking
CCTV evidence and in relation to the safety of young people. We
were pleased to see Mr Williams express regret for his actions and
agree to the new licence conditions. We look forward to
working with him to ensure the premises are now run
responsibly and safely.”
In other incidents reported at the hearing,
the bar had failed to supply adequate CCTV footage to the police
when asked to do so with management accused of being “obstructive,
abusive and aggressive with police officers”; the premises had
allowed underage drinking and had failed to take proper
safeguarding measures to protect young persons; it had failed to
comply with the conditions relating to door supervisors; the
management advertised an irresponsible drinks promotion; there was
a further failure to supply police with CCTV footage within the
required timeframe following a fight outside Tonics which
compromised a police investigation; and it was alleged the door
supervisor and management of the premises had failed to contact the
police or night marshals at the time of that incident.