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From the Dover Express and East Kent News, 5 February, 1915.
ANNUAL LICENSING METING
The Annual Licensing Meeting for Dover and its Liberties, was held in
the Sessions House on Monday morning before Sir William Crundall (in the
chair), Captain Cay, R.N. , Dr. C. Wood, Messrs. W. J. Barnes, M.
Pepper, F. W. Prescott, J. Scott, E. Chitty, J. W. Bussey, H. Hobday, T.
A. Terson, H. F. Edwin, A. Clark, W. D. Dawkins, and W. J. Palmer.
CHIEF CONSTABLE ANNUAL REPORT
The Chief Constable submitted his Annual Report which was as
follows:- Gentlemen - I have the honour to submit for your information
my annual report under the Intoxicating Liquor Laws. The houses have
been conducted without serious complaint with the exception of the
"Dewdrop Inn," Tower Hamlets Street, the licensee, William Frederick
Castle, on June 30th, 1914, being proceeded against for serving a child
on January 19th, 1914, under the age of 14 years, and for not having a
vessel properly sealed. After investigation before the Justices the case
was dismissed. The licensee of the "Wheelwright's Arms," Bridge Street,
Herbert Gurr, on the 6th February, 1914, being proceeded against for a
similar offence, was fined 20s. inclusive. 425 visits have been made to
licensed premises during the year as against 322 on the previous year.
There are in the Borough: Full licensed houses, 150; on and off beer
houses, 7; off beer-houses, 10; confectioners, 3; shops,11, making a
total of 181; clubs, 15. Drunkenness, 1912; 72 males, 14 females, total
86. 1913; 46 males, 23 females, total 69. 1914; 86 males, 19 females,
total 105. The population at last census was 43,645, the population to
each licensed house being 241.24, as against 233.74 last year.
Drunkenness per 1,000 population was 2.4 as against 1.58 the previous
year. The undermentioned houses were closed on December 31st last, under
the Compensation Act:- The "King Alfred," Portland Place; "Standard,"
Commercial Quay; "Victoria," Castle Street; "Ship," Strond Street. This
makes in 10 years a total of 34 houses that have been closed under this
Act. In addition to the above the licenses of the "Hope," Council House
Street, and the "Kent Arms," Elizabeth Street lapsed, making a total of
6 for the year. The premises of the "Lion," Elizabeth Street, the
"Brussels," and the "Sceptre," Beach Street have been acquired for street
improvements and lapse in due course. In the event of any houses being
selected for closing under the Compensation Act this year, I
respectfully recommend a small committee of the Justices visit certain
districts with me for the purpose of selecting houses. The reason I am
asking for this is that it strengthens the case very much when before
the Quarter Sessions if I can say that the Justices have seen the
premises and locality. With reference to a complaint made at a special
meeting of the Justices of the urinal and lavatory accommodation at
licensed premises I sent Chief Inspector Lockwood to visit them and
found them in good order with the exception of the urinals at the
"Marquis of Waterford," Union Row, "Bowling Green Tavern," Hartley
Street, which were in an insanitary condition. Both these places have
since been placed in sanitary conditions. I have caused them to be
visited since and they are maintained in good order. In all places there
is lavatory accommodation, and if not open to the public, can be used by
application to the licensee or attendants. In consequence of the War
certain regulations have been made under the Defence of the Realm Act.
On 18th September the Chief Officer commanding Dover Fortress made the
regulation closing all licensed premises from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., and on
the same day the Magistrates made an order closing all licensed premises
and clubs under the Intoxicating Liquors Temporary Restrictions Act,
1914, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. On 10th October, a regulation was made
placing all licensed premises out of bounds to the troops before 2 p.m..
In consequence of the licensee of the "Prince Alfred," East Cliff,
having violated this regulation his premises have been placed out of
bounds to both naval and military from the 15th inst. Also when
reinforcements have been sent all licensed premises along the road which
the troops passed and within 100 yards of the same have been closed 1½
hours before time of the departure of the trains. On the 12th December
the regulation was made that no spiritious liquors in bottles or flasks
may be sold to any petty officer or man of the R.N. or Non-Commissioned
Officer or man of the Army below the rank of Warrant Officer in each
case except on order signed by a commissioned officer. In consequence of
the regulation for the closing of the licensed premises until 6 a.m., a
deputation of licensees who have been exempt from closing in the early
morning attended before a special meeting of the Justices and after
consideration were given permission to open some at 3.30 a.m. and others
at 5 a.m., the condition being that intoxicating liquors were not sold
before 6 a.m. commencing on Monday, October 19th. I had observation kept
to ascertain whether the privilege had been taken advantage of by the
licensees and found that the "Duchess of Kent," and "Walmer
Castle," Market Square, the "Rose and Crown," Clarence place, opened at
3.30 a.m., and the "Shakespeare Inn," Elizabeth Street, the "Tower
Inn,"
Tower Street, opened at 5 a.m., and the following houses do not open
before 6 a.m.:- The "Bull," London Road, "Sir John Falstaff," Ladywell,"
the "Park Inn," Park Place, the "Prince Regent," Market Square, "Railway
Inn," Hawkesbury Street, the "Union," Commercial Quay, the "Griffin,"
Folkestone Road, the "Terminus," Beach Street, and the "Barley Mow," Strond Street.
Captain Cay asked how many common lodging houses
attached to licensed premises there were in Dover.
The Chief constable said that there were two;
there was one other which went for compensation.
RENEWAL OF LICENSES
The Magistrates' Clerk said that all licenses, including public
dancing, singing and music were renewed except those in respect of which
special notices to attend had been given.
In reply to a question by Mr. Chitty as to some of the early morning
houses not opening, the Chief Constable said that the conditions
existing at the time were not in existence when the licenses were
granted.
The Chairman: And may not apply in the future?
Mr. Chitty said that the question seemed to be that if they did not
open was there any reason to renew the permission to open.
The Chief Constable said that there was no mail boat traffic now, now
was there now and tidal traffic as at ordinary times.
The Chairman: The Magistrates' Clerk reminds me that if there was any
objection raised we are entitled to have notice of it.
SANITARY ACCOMMODATION
Objections were heard with regard to the sanitary accommodation at
the following houses:- "Town Arms," "Marquis of
Anglesey," and the
"Marquis of Waterford."
Mr. Mowll said that he appeared on behalf of the "Town Arms," Bridge
Street. he wished to know exactly what the objection was.
The Chief Constable said that last week with a committee of
Magistrates, he visited the "Town Arms," and objection was taken by the
magistrates to the lavatory accommodation. the door of the W.C. opened
into the scullery of the house. that was the principle objection and it
was felt that the door should be outside the living part of the house.
Another question arose as to the customers going through the scullery to
use the lavatory.
The Chairman: can they get to this door without going through the
scullery?
The Chief Constable: It would be approached from the outside but
there would be some alteration required.
Mr. Mowll asked whether there was anything wrong in customers going
through the scullery in order to use the lavatory.
The Chief Constable: Personally, I should say no.
Mr. Mowll said that that was the difficulty and he expected there was
a great many houses like it in the town. They could not enlarge the
premises. It was possible to have the urinal approached by a side
entrance but he thought there were some objections to it. If the
customers were prevented from going through the scullery and were made
to go outside into the street and back by the side passage there was a
question whether it did not become a public urinal at once.
The Chief Constable said that as soon as the urinal was placed at the
disposal of the public it became a public urinal to all intents and
purposes and as there was not one provided by the town in the
neighbourhood it would be used by practically everybody using the
street.
Mr. Mowll: Having regard as to what the Superintendent has said does
the Bench want me to say any more about this?
Mr. Barnes: Personally, I was one of the magistrates who visited it
and I don't see any objection to it.
It was decided to consider the question later.
After hearing the other cases, Mr. Pritchard of the "Marquis of
Anglesey," York Street, attended.
The Chief Constable said that he thought perhaps there was some
mistake by Mr. Pritchard being asked to attend. he believed that it was
in the mind of some of the Magistrates that Mr. Pritchard used the back
room in question in this case, as a living room which people had to pass
to use the accommodation at the back. he thought he had satisfied the
Magistrates after the notice had been served that such was not the case.
Mr. Pritchard lived upstairs and that room was a taproom. he saw no
objection to it personally.
Mr. Mowll appeared in the case of the "Marquis of Waterford."
The Chief Constable said that that was a case which he was placing
before the Court against his own opinion. In that case the urinal and
W.C. accommodation was placed at the back and people wishing to use them
would have to go through the living room or sitting room of the
occupier to use it. In his report to the justices he stated fully that
all places of accommodation could be used on application to the tenant
or attendants. He was of opinion that the accommodation there was quite
sufficient for the public need. if the lavatory was placed at the
disposal of the public in his opinion it would be grossly abused and
would be likely to be damaged every day. The people using the house
lived in the neighbourhood and there was amply accommodation at their
own houses.
Mr. Mowll said that he was informed that the tenant had been there
ten years and had only had five applications for the use of the closet
during the whole of that time.
The Chairman said that with regard to the "Town Arms" they would
adjourn that matter until the adjourned meeting. he did not think there
would be very much difficulty about it, but the Magistrates took an
interest in those matters and it was just as well that they should do
so. With regard to the "Marquis of Waterford" and the "Marquis of
Anglesey" they did not see how they could go behind the statement made
by their officer and the licences would be renewed.
STATION REFRESHMENT ROOMS
Mr. Frazer, on behalf of William George Taylor applied for an order
for only one third of the Compensation levy to be made in respect of the
refreshment rooms at the Harbour and Marine Stations.
The Magistrates' Clerk stated that this had been allowed every year.
The application was granted, and also a similar one by Mr. Mowll, in
respect of the "Granville Restaurant" and Triton.
LICENSE TRANSFER SPECIAL SESSIONS
The following dates were fixed for Special Sessions for the transfer
of licences at 11 a.m.:- April 9th, June 4th, August 6th, October 1st,
December 3rd, and June 14th, 1916.
ADJOURNED MEETING
The dates of adjourned meetings were fixed as follows:- Broadstairs,
Wednesday, February 24th, at 3 p.m.; Town Hall, Dover, Friday, February
20th, at 11 a.m.
The Chairman said that with regard to the "Town Arms," the licence of
which was adjourned he supposed that would be taken at the Dover
meeting.
The Magistrates' Clerk: Yes.
THE SILVER LION
The cases of the five houses which had been served with notice to
attend under the Compensation Act, were next considered.; The first
taken was of the "Silver Lion."
THE BLACK HORSE
The licence of the "Black Horse," Bridge Street, was next considered.
WHITE LION
The licence of the "White Lion," Tower Street, was next considered.
THE GOTHIC
The license of the "Gothic Inn," Snargate Street, was next
considered.
THE MAGISTRATES DECISION
The magistrates then retired to consider their
decision, and on returning the Chairman said that the Magistrates had
decided to give a licence to the "Town Hall" for both music and singing
on condition that free admission was given. The licence of the "Gothic"
and "White Lion" would be renewed. The "Silver Lion," the "Black Horse,"
and the "Grand Sultan" would have to go to Canterbury.
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