A POPULAR pub has kept its licence despite complaints from residents … but it will have to abide by tough new conditions reports the Local Democracy Reporter.
Thurrock Council held a licence review of the New Courthouse in King Street, Stanford-le-Hope following 57 noise complaints from residents since August 2023, alongside issues highlighted by police and Thurrock’s environment protection team.
The council issued a noise abatement notice but there were further complaints, one from as far away as Horndon-on-the-Hill, and a licence review order was issued in November.
Brewery, Stonegate, immediately removed the licensee and closed the pub.
Richard Taylor, solicitor acting on behalf of pub owner Ei Limited, part of the Stonegate Group told a licensing committee on Tuesday the pub is still closed while a new tenant and Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) is sought.
Mr Taylor said: “Ei owns the bricks and mortar but the premises are let to a tenant who operates their own business through a tenancy agreement. That’s dependent upon that tenant operating the premises properly. There are safeguards built into the lease to ensure that if the tenant breaches the terms of the licence Ei has an immediate right to terminate the tenancy. That’s effectively what’s happened here.
“What’s clear is that it is the mismanagement of the premises by the former tenant that has that has led to the review . It makes uncomfortable reading for us. We do not want to be here.”
Mr Taylor said there had been internal failings also and there were “ongoing investigations” into what went wrong but Mr Taylor said he hoped credit would be given for the speed with which the former tenant had been ousted.
Three conditions have been imposed on the company. All functions with amplified sound must be held in the premises function room. All doors and windows in the function room will remain shut during events to prevent the escape of noise and a noise limiting device should be installed in the function room.
Environmental health will continue to monitor the premises.
