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From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 8 February, 1935.
OPPOSITION TO INCREASED HOURS
The annual general licensing meeting for Dover and the Liberties was held
at the Town Hall on Monday. The Mayor (Alderman G. M. Norman) presided, and
others were Mrs. Binge, Mrs Elnor, Lieut.-Colonel J. A. Purefoy-Robinson,
Dr. C. Wood, Messrs. W. J. Barnes, W. B. Brett, C. E. Beaufoy, S. Lewis, T.
Francis, W. J. Palmer, S. J. Livings, W. L. Law, H. E. Russell, W. Bradley,
J. W. Bussey, C. W. Chitty and G. D. Clark.
The Chief Constables report stated that the licensed houses had
been well conducted, and that there had been no prosecutions. There were now
in the Borough: Fully licensed houses, 128; "On" and "Off" Beer Houses, 5;
"Off" Beer Houses, 9; Shops, 11; Confectioners, 3; total 156. There were six
cases (4 being non-residents) of drunkenness, as compared with 12 in 1933,
and 11 in 1932. Population, census 1931, 41,276, Population to each licensed
house, 265; Drunkenness were 1000 population, 0.14.
The Mayor: Personally, I think it is a most excellent report and
very satisfactory indeed. It shows that the inhabitants of Dover are very
well conducted.
Mr. Barnes said that Dover ought to be proud of itself, with a population
of 41,000, and only six cases of drunkenness, of which only two were
residents. It speaks well for those who conduct the public houses.
The Magistrates' Clerk said that there were no objections to the renewal
of he existing licenses in Dover and Ringwould except in the case of one
house, in which the licensee had been notified to attend in person to make
an application. That was the "Prince Regent,"
Market Square.
The Mayor said that all licences would be renewed with the exception of
the "Prince Regent."
Mr. Rutley Mowll applied, on behalf of Mr. E. T. Calvert, licensee of the
"Prince Regent," for the renewal of the
licence. He said he would like to point out that there were no proceedings
against Mr. Calvert. Indeed, from the information he had received, it seemed
to him that Mr. Calvert did not commit any offence at all. There was a
question whether the customer in question came from Mr. Calvert's house when
the incident occurred or whether he had left it at an earlier period. Mr.
Calvert had conducted his house quite respectably, he understood, and he
asked for a renewal of his licence in his favour.
The Mayor said that the Magistrates wished him to mention that in future
Mr. Calvert must be very careful how he conducted his business. It was well
known that that unfortunate young man left the "Prince
Regent" in a state of intoxication, and shortly afterwards met his
death. He (the Mayor) knew the difficulties of the trade and wished to say
that there was no proof that the drink was supplied on Mr. Calvert's
premises, but he wished him to be very careful, and if he saw anyone under
the slightest influence of drink he must see that he left at once. The
licence would be renewed.
The licenses for music, singing and dancing were renewed, and two fresh
applications for music and singing, in respect of the "Globe"
Inn and the "King Edward VII.," were
granted.
Mr. Bonniface applied on behalf of "Rennie's Club," for a certificate
under Section III. (2) of the Licensing Act, to authorise the Committee of
the Club to supply drink with suppers for an additional hour, if he were
able to satisfy the Bench that the premises were structurally adapted and
that bona fide meals were supplied. Mr. Bonniface then described the
premises, etc., to the Bench.
The Chief Constable said that he visited the Club on Saturday night and
found it as Mr. Bonniface described. He had no grounds for objecting to the
certificate being granted.
The application was refused. In reply to Mr. Bonniface, the Mayor
declined to give the reason for refusal.
Plans for additions to "The Links" Hotel, Broadstairs, and "Minnis Bay"
Hotel, Birchington, were approved - An application by the "Grand" Hotel,
Broadstairs, to extend its music, singing and dancing licence to 12 midnight
on Saturday's, and for music until 11 p.m. on Saturday's, was rejected.
Mr. Rutley Mowll: I appear to represent the licensed victuallers' in
Dover in connection with their application in regard to permitted hours, and
I would say at once that the licensed victuallers are very grateful to the
Bench for the privileges they have already received for so many years past,
and which, it is quite obvious from what the Chief Constable has said in his
report and from the words which have fallen from the Bench to-day, has not
been abused. I come before you to-day with all the more confidence because
you have had experience of how the licensed victuallers behave when they get
this privilege - thee extension of the half-hour, and they desire me
to put before you their difficulty. While they appreciate the concessions,
they would really like the hours to be altered, not increasing the number of
hours, but starting half an hour later and going on half and hour later all
year round. I understand that the learned clerk who advises you is of an
opinion that an order for the eight hours, with the evening starting at 6.30
and finishing at 10.30, is not possible, and it is useless for me to ask you
for something which the Clerk advises you cannot be done, but that is really
what my clients would desire - no extension of time in length of hours, but
beginning a little later and finishing up at 10.30 all the year round.
Therefore, in view of the advice you receive from the Clerk, the application
must be arranged accordingly, and that is that you would grant the extension
until 10.30 p.m. during the whole of the year. At present it applies to
"Summer time" only. There are special circumstances in Dover quite apart
from the working of "Summer time." You have got the railway workers, many of
whom leave off work at 10 o'clock. The same with the Postal workers and
with, I am told, Buckland Mill and the Gas Works, and, generally speaking,
you have got circumstances in Dover which apply rather particularly here. It
is a sort of terminus to the railway, and there are all the people concerned
with the boat traffic. It is altogether particular to Dover; I suppose the
number of marine porters engaged here must exceed those in almost any other
town, and I have to put it before you, on behalf of the licensed victuallars,
a request that the extended hours might apply all year round instead of
being limited, as at present, to "Summer time." It is essentially a matter
for the Bench. They know the requirements better than most people. I can
only suggest that that is the experience of those who are engaged in the
trade. They are asking that this facility should be granted, and point out
that it has not been abused in the past. In conclusion, Mr. Mowll said that
he understood the opposition was to be presented by one of his clerical
friends, Mr. Slater, and he should like to welcome him as joining their
profession for that occasion!
The Rev. A. T. Slater: I thank Mr. Mowll for that very kindly word of
courteous introduction. I represent specifically the Dover Free Church
Council, including twelve congregations, within the Borough, and also the
Dover Temperance Council, which includes thirty-two senior and junior
Temperance Societies. I believe I represent also a very much larger body of
public judgement. As the Counsel for the applicants has asked for longer
extended hours, I am obliged to ask for shorter hours. I had though, before
I came to the Court this morning, that if the unwritten agreement, the kind
of general understanding which has found favour in this Court for some years
past, had been agreed to, and you had been asked to grant the hours which
are at present operative in the Borough, I should have not opposed; I should
not have said a word. I should have accepted the present hours and agreed to
the status quo. I had hoped that this war, year after year, had ceased, and
that we had agreed on 10 o'clock for winter and 10.30 for summer as being
extremely reasonable. Well, now, I do regret that the trade has thought fit
this year to attempt to obtain drinking hours beyond those at present
operative. I regret it very much. What matters to me and to those I
represent is that drinking interferes with personal and public efficiency
and with the individual and social happiness, in which the children suffer
most, and I do hope you will hold this at least, that facilities for
drinking, therefore, aught not to be increased, and I pray that, rather than
grant an increase, you will agree to 10 o'clock all the year round.
The Mayor said that the licensees' application would be refused, and a
similar order be made to that at present operative.
The Magistrates' Clerk said that meant that during "Summer time" the
closing hour would be 10.30 p.m.
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