Cambridgeshire pub landlord fears bankruptcy if licence conditions imposed

Nigel Marsh, who runs the Georges in March, made the comment after a recent licence review hearing at Fenland District Council. The hearing was adjourned until 12 February. Local councillor Kit Owen had requested the hearing because he said there were problems with noise and fighting at the pub.

Marsh said: “A licensing compliance officer has recommended for the pub to have door staff on Friday and Saturday after 10pm if any licensing activities take place at the premises. This is a small pub and can hold a maximum of 100. We only have 20 people in when there’s music. It would bankrupt us if we had to pay for door staff.”

The council’s licensing committee are using CCTV footage of incidents before it decides what, if any, action there is to take with Marsh’s licence. However Marsh said: “The bottom line is licensing officers have made recommendations without realising the impact it would have on the business. These are based on incidents alleged to have occurred.”

Hearing adjourned​

The hearing last Thursday was adjourned because Marsh said he did not have enough time to respond to some case papers that were submitted too late.

The licensee committee's decision notice said: “The reason for our decision is to enable the licensee to obtain legal advice following the additional information and CCTV evidence which has been served upon him. This will be beneficial to all interested parties to enable them to consider the additional information.

“We note that concerns have been raised by Mr Marsh with regard to the enforceability of some conditions imposed on the licence at the hearing in October 2013. We ask that he put these concerns in writing to the council within 7 days.”

Any other party wanting to put further evidence for the review hearing was told to submit it to the council within ten days of the next hearing. Anything after that date will not be considered.

Live music at pub suspended​

Marsh has suspended live music at Georges while the licence is under review.

Two new conditions have already been imposed on Marsh’s licence since last October, to ensure that sounds from the pub must not be completely audible and to take regular recordings from a neighbouring property.