A Worle pub which prompted numerous complaints about noise, fights and suspected drug-taking will re-open as long as it employs door staff and does not play music in the beer garden.
The Mercury reported last week how the Golden Lion’s licence was being reviewed after police received 50 calls about the venue in the past 14 months, along with a further 24 noise complaints being made to North Somerset Council.
The authority’s licensing sub-committee met at the Town Hall on Thursday, where Enterprise Inns, which owns the pub, revealed it had terminated the lease of the former tenants.
The committee heard how police and the council had multiple meetings with the licence holders.
North Somerset Inspector Sharon Bennett said: “As police, we feel we have exhausted every attempt to work with the operators to address problems and antisocial behaviour and crime and disorder.”
MORE: What problems did police have with the Golden Lion?
Richard Taylor, a solicitor representing Enterprise Inns, said what the committee had heard about the antisocial behaviour was ‘unacceptable’.
He said: “What we want is a good successful pub. I think it’s clear this pub can be a decent pub if it is properly run.”
Mr Taylor said Karen Head, who had previously run a ‘difficult’ pub and ‘turned it around’, would become the new licensee at the Golden Lion, which is based in High Street.
He said: “She wants to remove the youth club element. The Golden Lion is a community pub, not for shots and strippers.”
A new area manager has also been employed by Enterprise Inns, and he promised the new licence-holder would be supported in running the pub.
He said: “If there is a problem, I want to know about it and we will address it.
“We don’t want to be on the wrong side of the licensing authorities or residents.”
Among the new licensing conditions asked for by the police was a requirement for door staff on Friday and Saturday nights.
Enterprise Inns objected to this requirement being in place indefinitely, but the licensing panel chose to implement it anyway.
The pub will also have new CCTV and will have to keep doors and windows closed. It is also not allowed to play music in the beer garden.
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