Newspaper ad encourages objections to late licences

Licensees in Kingston, Surrey, claim residents are inciting objections to their applications for late licences after they placed a full-page advert in a local newspaper.

Ten resident groups, known as the Federation of Kingston Residents Association (FKRA), say Kingston Council is letting them down in allowing so many extended licences to be granted.

The advert in the Surrey Comet warns that the number of late licences will increase the "vandalism, hooliganism and anti-social behaviour" the town already suffers from.

Rick Robinson, licensee at the Willoughby Arms, Kingston, said: "I don't think it's fair the way people are inciting residents to object. A lot of pub goers are in favour of it.

"It's a time of change and we should embrace the change and if problems arise we will deal with them."

But residents' leader Malcolm Grosvenor, secretary of FKRA, said: "The council has failed the residents of Kingston. Plenty of individuals have submitted objections but they have been told they are invalid."

Mr Grosvenor said the group would now be taking legal advice to bring a test case against the council for its poor quality licensing policy.

He added that the advert had received a good response and five other resident groups in the area had contacted him asking to get involved in the campaign.

But leader of Kingston Council, Derek Osbourne, claimed the advert was inaccurate. "It paints a much bleaker picture than what the reality is," he said. "The irony is the only late licence in the area that he is concerned about has been turned down."

Around 17,000 objections have been lodged nationwide in response to late applications from pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants, according to a survey by The Times.