Villagers block late pub licence

Angry villagers have successfully blocked attempts by a pub to get a daily 1am licence after their vicar described it as 'not nice to go into'.

Father Simon Douglas Lane made the comment at a packed meeting at Wraysbury Village Hall yesterday, as members of the Royal Borough's licensing panel decided whether or not to allow the George pub in Windsor Road a daily late licence. Determined villagers filled the hall making their opposition noisily clear.

Father Douglas Lane said the pub had gone into slow decline and needed money spending on refursbishing it rather than a later licence. A former patron himself, he said: "I can't recommend it now, because it is not nice to go into."

James Regan, 84, whose home in the Green overlooks the pub said things were bad after the Wednesday night 'open mike' music nights at the pub. He said: "My neighbour downstairs is 94. We have no problems with a pub but it is what happens outside. For some reason there are always confrontations, vile language for up to an hour after closing."

Resident Tim Caseley who lives in Windsor Road said he could have complained about fights and bad language outside the pub numerous times but that people had traditionally been tolerant. He said his car was regularly targeted by thieves.

Licensee Andrew Clark told the hearing he had no intention of using the late licence every day, wanting it in place for use on special occasions.

He said he did not recognise his pub from the description he had heard, as his clientele tended to be aged 35 or more. He said: "I don't run a pub full of people on drugs who have been drinking all day and go out committing crimes."

But chairman of Wraysbury Parish Council Cllr Andrew Davies said: "Wraysbury is a quiet, peaceful, residential village. We don't want disturbances happening at 1am in the morning."

Licensing councillors stayed in the hall after the meeting finished to discuss their final decision. They agreed on a compromise solution allowing the pub to open until midnight Friday and Saturday, 11.30pm Monday to Thursday. But as a condition they want an up-to-date noise monitor installed along with a new advanced system of cctv cameras.