Torbay pub ordered to shut for World Cup

A Devon pub has been closed for a month over the World Cup following complaints about anti-social behaviour.

Torbay councillors ruled the George Inn at Babbacombe's licence should be suspended for a month and licensee Rob Deeley removed as Designated Premises Supervisor.

The council imposed 18 conditions on the licence including the maintaining of an incident book, an effective CCTV system and banning customers from leaving the venue owned by a local company, with drinks in open vessels.

The council had received complaints of people drinking after hours and loud music while Deeley was alleged to have been found drunk at the pub.

Deeley claimed many of the allegations against the pub were untrue or unproven and stated he could not afford the costs of appealing so chose to close straight away.

"It is better to shut now so I get a bit of the World Cup," he said. "I hope England do well and are still in after a month.

"It is more than unfair, it's an absolute disgrace," he complained.

Deeley's solicitor James Cross told the licensing sub-committee that recent statistics showed there had not been any antisocial incidents, crime incidents or violent crime in or around the pub.

But Torbay licensing officer Neil Stanlake told the Herald Express​: "There's clearly a problem at these premises, which is having an effect on the community.

"We get no satisfaction from seeing someone lose their livelihood and a pub closed down, but this is a serious issue."