Pub could lose licence over complaints

A Birmingham City Council licensing sub-committee is due to rule on whether to take away the licence of the Observatory pub in Barker Street, Lozells, in an online meeting on May 6.

After receiving a number of complaints from residents, South Road Housing Co-operative called for review of the pub’s licence earlier this year.

A licensing enforcement officer has now recommended the licence is revoked.

It was reported on September 2, 2018 that a 41-year-old man had been stabbed outside the pub and was in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

In its application, the co-operative notes the stabbing, and states that in October last year police investigated “a lit object (possibly a petrol bomb)” thrown through a window.

A report to the committee from the council’s licensing enforcement team states the first complaint received was in July 2008, which alleged music was being played until 1.55am.

The report states the licence holder at the pub has changed since this time but the designated premises supervisor (DPS) has remained the same.

Between July 2008 and now, 23 complaints have been received – 13 of which were received since January 2017.

Complaints included noise, barbecues and anti-social behaviour outside the pub, “licensable activities” outside of permitted hours and “verbal abuse”.

No CCTV

The report states officers have made several visits to the premises but the pub supervisor “does not accept that the premises causes problems and can attribute the disturbance to noise of cars in the vicinity”.

The report states there is no CCTV at the pub and complaints cannot be investigated thoroughly without it.

The licence holder for the pub since 2012 has been Birmingham developer Clarendon Homes, though the report’s author states they do not believe the company has any involvement with the pub.

The report states Clarendon Homes failed to notify the council of a change of registered office address and failed to pay a £180 annual fee last year, going against the requirements of the licence.

The officer called for the licence to be revoked, but suggested if the committee chooses to retain the licence the pub should keep an incident register, train all staff on the licensing objectives every six months, employ two bouncers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, install CCTV in all rooms and outside the building and keep windows and doors closed.

Pc Abdool Rohomon of West Midlands Police stated in a letter that there had been “various calls” to the pub over the last year, relating to “anti-social behaviour and/or other criminal offences”.

The letter states: “The local police team are receiving calls from concerned residents in terms of loud noise, music, blocked roads and general disturbance to local residents at times of the night which are considered sensitive.”

The Observatory Pub and Clarendon Homes were contacted for a comment.

The meeting can be watched at 10am on May 6 on the council’s website civico.net/birmingham

By Local Democracy Reporter Mark Cardwell