DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Dover, September, 2021.

Page Updated Dover:- Wednesday, 29 September, 2021.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Barry Smith and Paul Skelton

Earliest 1991

(Name from)

Battle of Britain

Latest 1998

(Name to)

12 West Street

Dover

From the Adscene 12 July 1991.

Battle of Britain 1991

The newly-opened Battle of Britain in West Street, Dover, where you too can raise a glass to The Few.

 

TWO ENTERPRISING Dover men are making a business out of creating dream pubs.

Barrie Norman and Les Holness have started their own company - Theme with the aim of doing up pubs in specific styles.

They are willing to do up any pub in any style, and Barrie boasts: "We'll go anywhere in the country."

The pair will do up pubs from start to finish.

They own two - The Smugglers, at St. Margaret's and the newly-opened Battle of Britain, in Dover.

Both bear testament to their abilities. They have been restructured, renovated and completely refurnished in unique styles.

The Smugglers has been open for two years and The Battle of Britain, in West Street, Tower Hamlets, was opened last week.

Local resident Sarah Ann Neame pulled the first pint; and Barrie and Les are hoping the punters will flock to the Battle of Britain, which is kitted out with memorabilia from the momentous dog fights that raged over Dover 51 years ago.

Battle of Britain bar staff

Bar staff at the Battle of Britain - the latest pub to benefit from the Theme treatment.

Below, photo by Barry Smith, date unknown.

Battle of Britain

From the Dover Mercury 19 March 1998.

Landlord ordered to close noisy pub.

A DOVER publican is to appeal after losing his licence following complaints about noise and after-hours drinking.

Andrew McKenna will have to close the Battle of Britain public house in West Street when his licence expires on April 4, unless his appeal is successful or he is granted an extension while the appeal is heard.

Licensing justices were told on Friday that residents who complained about excessive noise had asked that their names and addresses were not revealed.

Police Sgt Pat Geary, of the licensing unit, said many of the residents were elderly and lived alone. "During 1997 we gave advice to Mr McKenna about after-hours drinking and the law relating to private parties," she said.

Sgt Geary said on one occasion over Christmas officers attended at 1.46am following calls about a disturbance outside and found people still in the pub. She said the officers received a "less than welcome" response from Mr McKenna who, she claimed, had shown a "blatant disregard" for his near neighbours, a total disregard for licensing regulations and a lack of respect for Dover council officers investigating noise complaints.

The council's technical officer - Ann Carey visited a house near the pub following complaints of noise and said with the doors, windows and curtains closed the noise was still excessive.

She went to the pub and asked Mr McKenna to turn the music down. He said he didn't feel the noise was excessive, customers liked it, and if he reduced the volume he thought he would lose some trade. He closed the windows and doors.

Mrs Carey said she went back on another two occasions, but each time it had quietened down. The council had received 12 complaints since September 1997, mainly from three people.

Mr McKenna met council officers and agreed to reduce the number of events with live music to one a month, improve the management of the pub, and improve sound insulation. He had since installed some double glazing.

The court was told the council served a noise abatement notice on February 9, and there had been no complaints since then. But the justices refused to renew his licence.

 

 

Formerly the "Carrier's Arms" which had closed on 1 October 1988, it was reopened with this sign on 6 July 1991 by Barry Norman and Les Holness. Closed again on 4 April 1998 after the licence was refused on grounds of noise complaints from local residence.

 

LICENSEE LIST

HOLNESS Leslie and NORMAN Barry 1991

McKENNA Andrew 1998

 

It is now (2007) back as The Carriers Arms again.

 

If anyone should have any further information, or indeed any pictures or photographs of the above licensed premises, please email:-

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