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From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 6
March, 1953.
HOTEL DE FRANCE LICENCE
Counter-Allegations Before Bench.
ALLEGATIONS were made at the adjourned Brewster Sessions at Dover on
Monday that many of the things said by the opposition at a recent
meeting of the local Licensing Planning Committee were "grossly unfair"
to Mr. Graham Lyon. These allegations were made to Dover magistrates by
Sir Sydney Littlewood, who appeared on behalf of Mr. Graham Lyon in an
application for a renewal of the "term licence" for the Hotel de France.
Counter-allegations were also made that alterations had been carried
out in the hotel without proper authority.
"So much was said before the Licensing Planning Committee which was
obviously unfair. Whether it affected the result I have no way of
telling," said Sir Sydney.
The application by Mr. G. Lyon of the "White
Cliffs Hotel" for the removal of the full licence of the Grand Hotel
to the Hotel de France was refused by the Licencing Planning Committee
in January. Objections to the application were made by Messrs. John
Lukey, owners of the "Shakespeare Bars,"
represented by Mr. Christmas Humphreys, Q.C., and by the Dover Licensed
Victuallers' Associaion, represented by Mr. J. S. Moss.
The Press are not admitted to meetings of the Licensing Planning
Committee.
Mr. Graham Lyon did not further his application for the Grand Hotel
licence before the magistrates, but was successful in his application
for the re-granting of the "Term licence" he now holds - on more
favourable conditions. Now, residents of the hotel will be able to treat
their guests to drinks, which had hitherto not been allowed. He licence
was renewed at a monopoly value of £210 over a period of three years.
There were no objections to the application.
At the opening of theapplication Supt. H. A. Saddleton stated that
the Police had no objections, but he would like to point out to the
magistrates that on January 1st Insp. Wilkinson paid a visit to the
hotel and saw considerable alterations in the basement.
Referring to these alterations, Sir Sydney submitted that nothing in
that was done required the magistrates' approval. All that had happened
was that the dinner facilities were improved.
Sir Sydney added that had Mr. Graham Lyon spoken to him before the
alterations were made he would have told Mr. Lyon that, in his view, the
Police only had to be informed of the courtesy.
Sir Sydney said that he had heard it said "outside" that nothing was
done about the alterations because when it was noticed it was outside
the period which a summons had to be issued for a summery offence.
"From what I know of the Police, I am sure that information would
have been issued had it been thought that the matter should be brought
before the Justices," he said.
He pointed out to the magistrates that nothing was done to keep the
fact of the alterations quiet, as the Rotary Club used the premises,
photographs were exhibited outside the establishment and advertisements
inserted in the local press.
Continuing with the application for the renewal of the licence, Sir
Sydney asked that residents should be able to offer their guests a drink
without having to buy them a meal.
At the conclusion of the hearing Supt. Saddleton said, "I would like
to point out to Sir Sydney that the reason no action was taken over the
alterations was because the Police could not get down to the date of the
alteration. The papers were submitted to my prosecuting people who found
it inadvisable to prosecute."
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