Pudsey’s World’s End pub faces an uncertain future after having its licence to sell alcohol revoked.
Members of Leeds City Council’s licensing sub-committee took the decision after West Yorkshire Police raised concerns about ongoing incidents with anti-social behaviour, violence and drugs at the Booths Yard pub.
Councillors heard there were concerns about whether the pub had an easily accessible working CCTV system.
Cat Sanderson from police licensing said there were frequent incidents at the pub, including assault and a firearms incident outside the pub earlier this year. She also said landlords had failed to attend meetings with police to resolve issues or respond to telephone calls.
She said the lack of CCTV footage had hindered investigations into the firearms incident and also raised concerns about ‘over-intoxicated’ punters who police found difficult to interview.
The committee heard police have been called to the pub in Booths Yard 24 times over the last two years after receiving reports of assaults, drug dealing and drunkenness.
But World’s End licence holder Mark Neave told the Civic Hall committee meeting that the CCTV was now working and housed in an accessible place which police could access. He said he had hired door staff to reduce trouble at the pub. He said:
“It is a lovely pub during the day, it’s full of old gentlemen saying it is the best pub in the area, but it’s different when the evening crowd come in.”
Mr Neave said he’d suffered a recent trauma and personal problems and that the number of serious incidents at the World’s End had decreased in recent months. He added:
“I do not like trouble … Pudsey is full of trouble, not just from my establishment. There are two others over the street.”
But Dave Shaw of police licensing said issues at the pub weren’t getting any better and said police were ‘seriously worried’ that the owners were unable to promote licensing objectives. He added:
“I understand Mr Neave has had personal problems recently, but the incidents [at he pub] occurred over a protracted period of time. We have done our best to engage without success.”
After deliberating for more than an hour, the sub-committee decided to revoke The World’s End’s licence to sell alcohol.
Mr Neave may appeal against the decision.