A Harrogate pub that came under fire for breaching coronavirus lockdown rules could be closed down permanently.
The council has told the landlord of the Coach and Horses that a formal review of its licence is underway after it found 75 customers in the area drinking on Sunday.
Harrogate Borough Council sent its enforcement team to two pubs on Saturday and reported that people were breaking the rules. It gave advice to the licensees of both pubs and reminded them of the law.
The next day, the Coach and Horses opened again and followed the initial advice before, the council says it committed a further breach of regulations.
Police at the Coach and Horses on Tuesday.
Council officers issued a prohibition notice to the pub the same day and in doing so officers were subjected to verbal abuse from customers. One even followed the officers along Tower Street and back to their cars.
Despite the prohibition notice, the council said the pub continued to trade in the same way. In his report, council officer Gareth Bentley said officers returned to the pub on Monday, after the notice was issued:
“On arrival they noticed two ladies drinking in open plastic cups at the front of The Coach and Horses. Additionally people were sitting outside, on the opposite side of the road to the pubs’ side door on Tower Street drinking from open plastic pint cups.”
Council officers and police officers returned to the premises yesterday to serve notice of the licence review, which could mean a permanent closure.
Read more on this story:
- What happened on Saturday afternoon?
- Harrogate pub owners said they followed government guidelines
- Why did the council serve The Coach and Horses with a prohibition notice?
The council, accompanied by North Yorkshire Police, said it will continue to monitor the situation over the weekend.
Councillor Mike Chambers, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing and safer communities, said:
“Even after officers visited the Coach and Horses pub, and advised the landlord of their responsibilities, they still felt the need to continue breaching coronavirus regulations. Sadly, this has now resulted in the review of the pub’s licence. These regulation are there to protect our communities. “
