Pubwatch ban contested by Liberty

Pressure group Liberty has defended its decision to back the case of a man who is trying to fight his pubwatch ban by claiming it breached his human rights.

Liberty said Ruddington Pubwatch in Nottingham "abused" its power by allegedly banning the man because he complained about noise from the Country Cottage Hotel.

But Country Cottage licensee and Ruddington Pubwatch chairman Andrew Stuart has claimed that the man, who did not want to be named, abused pub staff.

Liberty's legal officer Anna Fairclough said: "Liberty agrees with the aims of pubwatch but this particular case shows that the scheme can be abused.

"This case demonstrates the dangers of an unaccountable scheme which allows people arbitrarily to be banned from all the pubs in their area simply because they complain about excessive noise."

National Pubwatch honorary secretary Malcolm Eidmans said he did not believe Liberty has all the information about the case. He said the man could have asked for the premises licence to be reviewed on the grounds of excessive noise.

Stuart was unavailable for comment.