Tavern loses licence

Press, 17 March 1977, Page 1

Tavern loses licence

The Cantabrian Tavern, at the comer of Cashel and Manchester Streets, yesterday had its licence suspended for three months as from April 1 by the Canterbury Licensing Committee.

The chairman of the committee (Mr F. G. Paterson, S.M.) said that had the former shareholder and manager, Mr K. B. Sheard. still been running the tavern, the licence would have been cancelled. This was the committee’s finding after an application by the police to cancel the tavern keeper’s licence held by Mr Sheard. The police considered that Mr Sheard had failed to conduct busi-

ness in a proper manner and had allowed the premises to be frequented by disreputable persons. Evidence was given by several policemen of people being found unlawfully on the premises after hours while an undercover policeman, Constable Harry Harvey, told of stolen property having been stored upstairs, and of illegal transactions having been made on the premises. In addition, he said, convicted criminals had frequented the premises.

The committee was told that from February 1, Mr Sheard had sold his shares and a new company, Cantabrian Tavern, Ltd, had taken over the hotel.

Mr K. J. Jones, for the company, said Mr Sheard had no interest in it; he was not a shareholder or a director, and had been dismissed as a result of his conviction in the Supreme Court. However, Mrs Sheard still held 4000 shares in the company and was its secretary'. He submitted that the fact of the former manager’s two convictions should not suffice to convince the committee to suspend or cancel the licence held by the new company. At the time of the offences, Mr Sheard had been in sole control. Mr Jones said the prosecution

had not proved that the company itself was a party to or had encouraged the acts complained of by the police.

He asked the committee to take note of the fact that immediately after Mr Sheard’s conviction, the company had dismissed him.

The chairman said the three months suspension of the licence should allow the new owner of the company time in which to clean out the clientele and to build up the sort of business he would like to have. The decision of the licensing committee can be appealed against, both to the Licensing Commission and to the Supreme Court.