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Coach and Horses alcohol licence revoked

The Coach & Horses pub has had its licence to sell alcohol revoked after showing a “blatant disregard” for social distancing guidelines.

Harrogate Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee met today to decide the pub’s fate after HBC officers and North Yorkshire Police reported customers drinking outside the pub and not observing social distancing over the weekend of May 30.

HBC committee members heard how landlord John Nelson and customers of the pub were “aggressive and abusive” towards HBC officials and police after being served with a prohibition order on May 31.

Mr Nelson’s lawyer Paddy Whur said his client “accepted he made a chronic error of judgement”.

He said Mr Nelson suffers from bipolar disorder but had not taken his medication for 10 days which “distinctly affected” his decision-making process during the weekend.

Mr Whur suggested that the pub’s licence be suspended until Mr Nelson steps down – which was rejected by councillors.

Calling on the committee to revoke the licence, PC Jackie Allen from North Yorkshire Police said they received 44 complaints from the public about social distancing. She said it “seriously undermined licensing objectives and caused alarm and distress to the local community”.

PC Allen also questioned whether Mr Nelson was really suffering from mental health problems calling it a “smokescreen” and an “eleventh-hour attempt” to prevent punishment.

Resident Peter Whittington spoke to defend the pub. He said on Sunday May 31 he witnessed Coach and Horses customers observing social distancing. He said: “it’s a brilliant pub and we need places like that in Harrogate”.

Mr Whur said he met with Mr Nelson and his family last week which he described as being a “hugely emotional and sad” meeting.

He said his mental health condition was genuine and hoped that any decision would reflect his long-standing position in the community.

He said:

“He’s chronically embarrassed that this is in the public domain. He said he’s disappointed he’s wasted HBC’s licensing committee and the police’s time. He regrets it hugely.”

“He has been the licensee for 33 years at one of the oldest pubs in Harrogate – I hope this gives him some credibility that we won’t be assessed as putting up a smokescreen”.

“He’s suffering from a significant mental health problem and is on medication. I wouldn’t try and deceive the licensing committee on something as serious as this.”

Mr Nelson has 21 days to appeal the decision.

Police call for Harrogate pub’s licence to be revoked

North Yorkshire Police has called for a Harrogate pub’s licence to be removed after it came under fire for breaching lockdown rules.

The Coach and Horses was told by Harrogate Borough Council that its licence was under review after people gathered outside the pub on West Park drinking which breached coronavirus guidelines.

The pub was issued a prohibition notice by the council on May 31 for “repeatedly breaking the rules”. Officials said around 75 customers were in the area drinking at one point.

People outside the Coach and Horses back in May.

People gathered outside the Coach and Horses back in May.

Now, police have called for the pub to be stripped of its licence in the interests of public safety.

Councillors on the borough council’s licensing committee will decide on the future of the pub’s licence on Wednesday.

In a letter to the council’s licensing committee, Jackie Allen, police licensing officer, said the Coach and Horses did not comply with coronavirus regulations.

It said:

“It is believed that if the premises are allowed to retain a premise licence this will have an adverse effect on the local community…

“It is the view of North Yorkshire Police that the premises licence should be revoked and would respectfully direct members to Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 ‘it shall be the duty of each authority to which the section applies to do all it reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder in its area.’”

The force said it received 14 separate reports from members of the public between May 30 and June 2 over customers drinking from open containers outside. Police say this also breaches the pub’s licence.

Harrogate pub could be shut down over lockdown breaches

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.

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John Nelson, the pub’s landlord, said that he would give all of the proceeds to Horticap. However, the charity said the pub did not tell them about his change of plans to sell alcohol.

The pub has been served a prohibition notice.

Steve Scarre, chair of Trustees at Horticap, told The Stray Ferret:

“John from the Coach and Horses has been a great supporter of Horticap over many years. He said he would be serving tea and coffee over the weekend. That changed on Friday night when unbeknown to us he decided to serve alcohol because the weather forecast looked good. He did not inform us of this and the first I knew was the social media reports on Sunday morning at 7.00am.”

As a result, the charity took out all of its plants and refused to take any money from the pub’s sales. Steve added: “We are not happy about what transpired and have told him so.”

Some of the plants inside The Coach and Horses.

The Stray Ferret approached the Coach and Horses for a comment but the pub refused the opportunity.

Harrogate Borough Council officers served the pub with a prohibition notice because it had repeatedly breached the lockdown rules.

The Coach and Horses has opened again today to sell alcohol but crowds have not gathered in the same way as last weekend.

Harrogate pub owners say they followed rules after crowds gathered outside

The owners of Three’s a Crowd and the Coach and Horses on West Park Stray said they followed government guidelines when they opened over the weekend to sell take-out beer.

On Saturday afternoon crowds outside the two pubs led Harrogate police to urge the public to stick to social distancing as people blocked the pavements and were not keeping 2 metres apart. It led to a large amount of concern on social media that people are giving up on the rules.

John Quinlan of Three’s a Crowd told The Stray Ferret that safety was their priority:

We worked with the North Yorkshire police to monitor social distancing and they were supportive and helpful throughout. Helping us maintain the safety of our guests within the boundaries of our pub.

The majority of our guests were sensible and followed the social distancing measures set out with only a few that decided to ignore these. With the Stray being closed directly opposite and people beginning to congregate we decided to close early and stop serving, asking people to disband.

Mr Quinlan said his staff had cleaned up the street and public bins of any litter afterwards. Three’s a Crowd did not open on Sunday.

Tables and chairs put on the grass verge of the Stray for drinkers at The Coach and Horses on Sunday

At the Coach and Horses, owner John Nelson, said the pub had opened up as a garden centre selling plants and refreshments with all proceeds going to local charity, Horticap. Mr Nelson opened the pub again on Sunday. Inside dozens of plants lined the one-way system that snaked through to the bar where staff served behind a plastic shield. Mr Nelson said:

“You can go to Waitrose and buy a can and sit on the Stray and drink it or you can come here and buy a drink and do the same thing. The only difference is that every penny we take is going to Horticap. Saturday was the first day and a one point it did get crowded outside. You learn – today we’ve put chairs up on the other side of the road so that the pavement outside is free and we’ve put an extra barrier outside.

I have a licence to sell beer either on and off the property- what rules am I breaking?”

Whether Mr Nelson will be allowed to keep his chairs and tables on the other side of the road though, remains to be seen.

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