Daphne, 73, fails personal licence test
The licensee who had to take her personal licence exam despite running a pub for over four decades has vowed to keep pulling the pints despite failing the test.
Daphne Cutten, 73, has been running the Murrell Arms in Barnham, Sussex, for 43 years, but failed the test for the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH), which was bought in under the Licensing Act 2005.
Daphne's husband Mervyn, the registered licensee, died in October 2006, and although his licence was transferred via through grandfather rights in 2005 when the new licensing laws were introduced, Daphne was never officially the licensee.
Daphne's daughter and her partner have both passed the test, and her partner is currently acting as the pub licensee, while Daphne continues behind the bar until she passes the exam.
She now plans to take the test again, and although she concedes that it is a legal necessity, she doesn't see the benefits of the test.
"It was a 40 question multiple choice test, and although I passed the first stage by getting eight of the first ten right, I only got 19 of the last 30.
"I have to do it to be legal, but after 43 years, I don't see what it will achieve. The customers think it's a joke!" she said.
Tony Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Associations, said he had no doubt that Daphne had the knowledge and ability to run the pub, but may have been unaccustomed to the exam conditions.
"I'm sure she has all the knowledge and skills to put to use, but once you sit down doing exams at that age, there is pressure. That's no disrespect as I'm that age myself, but it knocks you back a bit."
