Pub keeps licence after talks about 'serious incidents' (From Milford Mercury)

Pub keeps licence after talks about 'serious incidents'

3:50pm Friday 5th February 2010

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A Pembroke Dock public house, caught selling alcohol to underage girls, has kept its licence after mediation with the police.

The licence for the Prince of Wales, in Laws Street, Pembroke Dock, came up for review after police “became aware of several serious incidents inside and in the vicinity of the premises”.

In a police test purchasing operation last November, two 15-year-old girls were served bottles of WKD. The bar tender was fined £80 and took full responsibility.

Other police visits revealed that the three registered doormen, who were a condition of the licence, were not present at all times.

A police report said that the licence holders had “blatantly breached” the 2003 licensing act and that the pub’s staff were “in desperate need of training”.

Licensees Keith and Sylvia Francis consulted with police and then applied for the licence to be modified.

Dyfed-Powys police licensing officer Tony Davies told Friday’s Pembrokeshire County Council licensing sub-committee that in creating the original licence, Mr and Mrs Francis had “gone over the top” to satisfy the committee.

James Subbiani, representing Mr and Mrs Francis, said that the licence was “somewhat of a historical hangover”.

He asked that the number of doormen be reduced to two, to work between 8pm and closing on Friday and Saturday nights. Karaoke will also be permitted at the pub.

He said that CCTV would be fitted to the satisfaction of the police and footage would be made available. The licensees were willing to attend Pembrokeshire College’s licensing course and staff training was now in place. A copy of the pub’s training handbook was submitted to the sub-committee.

Sub-committee chairman Councillor David Bryan said: “The police are happy after mediation. The sub-committee is in agreement to formally modify the conditions of the licence.”

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