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From the Dover Express and East Kent News. 11 February, 1938. Price 1½d.
ANNUAL LICENSING MEETING
The Annual Licensing Sessions for the Borough and Liberties of Dover
were held at the Town Hall on Monday, before the Mayor (Councillor J. R.
Caffist, Dr. C. Wood, Lieut-Colonel J. A. Purefoy Robinson, Messrs. S.
Lewis, C. W. Chitty, W. B. Bett, C. E. Beaufoy, W. J. Barnes, J. W.
Bussey, G. M. Norman, B. M. Worsfold, W. J. Palmer, H. E. Russell, G. D.
Clark, W. S. Lee, S. J. Livings and W. L. Law, Mrs. Binge and Miss Elnor.
CHIEF CONSTABLE'S REPORT
The Chief constable (Mr. Marshall Bolt), in his report stated: There are
now 155 licensed premises in the Borough. The population of the Borough
according to the last census figures is 41,281 and this represents one
licensed house to every 266 inhabitants. The following shows the
number of licenses compared the previous years.
Fully licensed houses 1936, 128; 1937, 127. Beer houses 1936, 5; 1937, 5. Wine, sweets licenses 1936, 3; 1937, 3. Off licenses 1936, 20; 1937, 20. Total 1936, 154; 1937, 155.
At the adjourned General Annual Licensing Meeting on the 8th March,
1937, a full publican's license was granted in respect of the
refreshment rooms at the Train Ferry Dock, Dover Harbour. The premises
were opened on the 22nd October, 1937. During the year 1937, 32
licences, involving 28 houses were transferred, the licenses of the
following houses being transferred twice during the year:- The “Gothic
Inn,” Snargate Street; “Green Man,” Erith Street; “Rose and Crown,”
Clarence Place; and “Burlington Inn,” Church Street.
709 visits were paid by the Police to licensed houses during the year.
One licensee was proceeded against for allowing a child under the age of
14 years to be in a bar during permitted hours, and the case was
dismissed under the Probation of Offenders Act. Four other licensees
were cautioned for irregularities under the licensing laws, e.g.
allowing persons to remain behind locked doors during non-permitted
hours, allowing persons to frequent licensed premises for the purpose of
betting; and one licensee was warned for entertaining persons other than
bona-fide friends during non-permitted hours. Apart from the slight
irregularities referred to in the preceding paragraph, the licensees and
managers have conducted their houses in a very satisfactory manner.
There are now 18 registered clubs in the Borough, with a total
membership of 8,448. The “Metropole Billiard Club,” Cannon Street,
Dover, ceased to exist, not having been re-registered at the General
Annual Licensing Meeting on the 8th February, 1937.
882 special orders of exemption were granted by the Justices during the
year, as compared with 809 during 1936, and of the number granted during
the year, 248 were in connection with Eastertide, 126 for Coronation
Day, 11th May, 1937, and 378 with Christmastide and the New Year
festivities. Ninety-four applicants were granted in respect of
registered clubs. Thirty-eight occasional licenses were granted by the
Justices during the year, as compared with 25 during 1936. The majority
of these licenses were granted in connection with dances arranged at
various public halls. For some time the Magistrates have required the
organisers of dances to give an undertaking that people not bona-fide in
possession of tickets will not be admitted after 10 p.m., and this has
effectively checked “gate crashers.”
Licenses for public music, singing and dancing are in operation as
follows:- Licensed premises, 36; and public halls, 32. 199 extensions of
public music, singing and dancing licenses were granted during the year.
The public music, singing and dancing licence in respect of the
“Burlington ballroom and gymnasium,” Burlington Mansions, Woolcomber
Street, was transferred on the 8th February, 1937.
There have been 27 cases of drunkenness during the year, committed by 24
males and three females, two males being methylated spirit drinkers.
Seven were residents including three females, eleven non-residents, and
nine soldiers, four of whom were handed over to the Military Authorities
to be dealt with. Proceedings for drunkenness during 1937 have been as
follows:- persons proceeded against, 24 males, and 3 females; convicted,
15 males, and 3 females; dismissed 9 males.
During the past five years proceedings for drunkenness have been as
follows:-
1933, Total 12, Males 12, females 1.
1934, Total 6, males 5, females 1.
1935, Total 12, males 12.
1936, Total 27, males 26, females 1.
1937, Total 27, males 24, females 3.
In addition two men were charged with being under the influence of drink
to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of motor
vehicles. One man was convicted and fined £10 and his motor driving
licence was suspended for 12 months, whilst the case against the other
man was not separately adjudicated upon as he was sentenced to
imprisonment for another offence.
Fifteen plans for structural alterations at licensed premises have been
approved by the Justices. Including plans for the improvement of
lavatory accommodation at the houses I specially reported upon last
year.
There still remains ample scope for improvement in this direction, and I
respectfully suggest that consideration of the renewal of the
under-mentioned licences be adjourned in order to give the owners an
opportunity to submit plans for the improvement of their houses:-
“Golden Cross,” St. James's Street; “Mail Packet,” Woolcomber Street;
“Town Arms,” Bridge Street; “Prince Imperial Hotel,” Snargate Street;
“Granville Hotel,” Townwall Street; “Wine Lodge,” Townwall Street; “Hare
and Hounds,” Folkestone Road; and the “Gate,” Crabble Hill. I would also
suggest that when plans of structural alteration to licensed premises
are approved by the Magistrates, that a copy be deposited with the
Police in order that an inspection be made after the alterations have
been completed.
I respectfully suggest that the licences of the following houses be
provisionally renewed until the Adjourned General Annual Licensing
Meeting, and that notices of objection be given on the grounds
specified:- “Liberty Inn,” 5 Adrian Street, redundancy; “Gothic,” 29 Snargate Street, redundancy; and the “Green Dragon,” 16, Strond Street,
redundancy, and structural unsuitability.
Comparative figures for towns in Kent followed the reports. Amongst the
statistics were figures for licensed premises.
Population
No. of licensed houses
Persons to each licensed premises
Total persons proceeded against
Persons proceeded against per 1000 population.
Ramsgate 34422, 134,
257, 12,
0.35
Maidstone 44877, 141,
318, 17,
0.37
Canterbury 25109, 123,
204, 10,
0.39
Rochester 31377, 96,
337, 17,
0.52
Folkestone 46170, 126,
366, 30,
0.64
Dover 41281, 155,
266, 27,
0.65
Margate 40307, 181,
222, 28,
0.69
Tun. Wells 35839, 113,
317, 33,
0.9
Gravesend 37670, 118,
319, 43,
1.14
Total 338052, 1187,
289, 217,
0.62
LICENCE TRANSFERS
The Dovorian Restaurant, 7, Market Square (wine licence) was transferred
from James Graves and Lilian W. Igglesden, to Emily Kathleen Ruth
Hollis, Woodville Hall, Watersend, Temple Ewell, restaurant assistant.
The “Albion Inn,” Broadstairs, was transferred from Richard Pilbeam, to
Bernard Eric Horton, “Wrotham Arms,” Broadstairs; the “Neptunes Hall,”
Broadstairs, from George E. Nash, to George Edward Meech, late of the
“Zebra Inn,” Maids Causway, Cambridge.
The existing licenses in the Borough and at Ringwould were renewed, as
also were those for public dancing, singing and music.
Mr. Rutley Mowll applied on behalf of the proprietors of the Dover
Priory Refreshment Rooms and those at the Marine Station, Admiralty Pier
and Prince of Wales' Pier for certificates fixing the rate of
contribution to be paid to the compensation fund. He asked for the
contributions to be fixed at the same rate as for last year, namely
one-third of that charged in other cases.
The Bench granted certificates in these and other cases of restaurants,
etc., on the same terms as last year.
TRANSFER SESSIONS
The Bench appointed Fridays, April 1st, June 3rd, August 12th, October
7th, December 2nd, and January 6th, as special sessions for the transfer
of licences.
NO WINTER EXTENSION
Mr. P. A. G. Aldington applied on behalf of the Dover and District
Licensed Victuallers' Association for an extension of hours throughout
the ensuing year. Previously the licensing Magistrates had granted the
application only during the summer months and he was now applying for
that extension to apply all the year round. In matter like that the
Bench had to satisfy themselves on the question of public opinion and he
proposed to approach the subject from the point of view of various
groups of individuals. From the point of view of the general public he
suggested that the additional half an hour would be very well received
because, nowadays conditions had changed so. Cinemas and other
entertainments made it necessary that people should be able to go to
those entertainments at a reasonable time. The average person got home
from work at about 6 p.m. and the cinemas were usually three hour shows
so that by the time he got out of the cinema it was on to 10 o'clock. If
he wanted to get a drink he had got to go to the cinema a bit earlier.
Next he would deal with the question from the point of view of the
special population of the Borough. They had a large number of industrial
workers, such as miners, dock hands and railwaymen and to them, with
their special hours of work, the extra half an hour throughout the year
would be a boon. Thirdly, there was the question of visitors. There were
a great number of visitors to the town throughout the year and they
would find the additional half an hour very useful. Fourthly, he would
ask them to consider the long-suffering body of individuals known as
Licensed Victuallers. In recent years the whole outlook of the trade had
altered considerable. Things like workmen's clubs and cinemas had taken
away a great deal of their trade. They were, of course, a very heavily
taxed trade. For instance, at Christmas time, the ordinary shops got
their extended hours without any trouble at all, but if the licensee
wanted an increase in hours he had to make application and what was
more, pay for it. Everything they did they had to pay fees for and it
did not seem right that they should have to do that. He understood that
there was going to be a certain amount of opposition to the application
from a particular quarter. Well, of course, that particular quarter did
not represent the public opinion; it only represented a section.
The Mayor: Who are the opposition engaged by? We know who you are
engaged by.
The Magistrates Clerk: There is a petition from Broadstairs.
The Mayor: I did not think Dover people were narrow-minded like that.
Mr. Aldington said that the petition came from a section of the
community only and he suggested that it did not represent public
opinion. He did not want to run down the opposition, because he was sure
they came before the Bench with the best motives in the world, but their
opinion did not go as far as the general public opinion. In the Chief
Constable's report they would see that out of 709 visits the Police had
paid to public houses during the year there had only been one
prosecution. He thought the Bench would realise that the licensees in
the district were a body of men who could be trusted and if any
concession was granted it would not be abused.
The Mayor: Are your clients willing to give way on the half hour early
in the evening to get this extra concession at night?
Mr. Aldington: I should like to take their instructions?
Voices from the back of the Court: “Yes.”
The Mayor: Personally, my views are your sentiments and I quite agree
with the extra half hour. The first half hour in the evening is not
wanted, but I think they should have that half hour at night. (Loud
clapping from the back of the Court).
The Rev. Lomax Mackenzie, of Broadstairs, presented a petition signed by
422 residents of Broadstairs.
Replying to the Magistrates Clerk, Insp. Webb stated that the population
of Broadstairs was 13,873.
The Mayor: Who has organised this petition?
The Rev. Lomax Mackenzie: Various people. The churches in the district
have helped and the British Woman's Temperance Association and various
independent residents. He added that he had been asked to attend at
considerable personal inconvenience to represent that large body of
opinion in the town and district of Broadstairs. Last year a similar
application was made, when, at short notice, they secured 146 signatures
to a petition and the application was refused by the Bench. This year
with very little effort until last week, they had secured 422
signatures, about three times as many as last year.
The Mayor: From what age did you take them?
The Rev. Lomax Mackenzie: Twenty-one years or over. They are supposed to
be on the electoral roll.
The Mayor: You cannot vouch that they are?
The Rev. Lomax Mackenzie said that he could not vouch for every one of
them, but he thought the main body of them were on the electoral roll.
He would like to emphasise that the number of 422 was considerable to
obtain in a short period, it represented by far the most influential
part of the whole district of Broadstairs and St. Peter's. The Rector of
Broadstairs signed it, a Bishop of the Church of England, every Free
Church minister in the district and the five leading headmasters and the
headmistresses of the big schools in Broadstairs and several of the
Councillors on the Urban District Council. They felt that there was no
demand for the extension.
The Mayor: The influential body does?
The Rev. Lomax Mackenzie: Yes, and the influential body really reflects
the opinion of the general community. It is a quiet town; we are not
like the big town adjoining. We cater for a certain kind of resident and
visitor, the family visitor and the retired person who becomes a
resident and it is almost ridiculous to think of anyone imagining there
is a need for a further half hour in the winter time in connection with
a town like Broadstairs.
The Rev. S, G. Tweed also opposed on behalf of the Dover Free Church
Council and the Dover Temperance Council. The Free Church Council had
over 1000 members in Dover and was interested in some thousands of
Sunday School children. Although it was said that the application was on
behalf of the general public it was very clear that it was made by the
representative of the Licensed Victuallers. They had no grounds of
complaint against the Licensed Victuallers and quite realised that they
were respectable and worthy citizens but they were opposed to the trade
in which they were engaged and believed that it was again the best
interests of the community and especially of the children that further
facilities should not be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquor.
The claims concerning the special population could be made in almost any
town in the country and at almost every Brewster Sessions applications
were made on the ground that this was a special kind of town and that
there were special circumstances in this case.
The Mayor: You are making the opposition the same, aren't you?
The Rev. S. G. Tweed said that he was appealing against the liquor
traffic, which was against the best interests of the town, the locality
and the country generally. The pleas was made for the publicans that
they had to pay special taxes and make special applications. Why was
that? Simply because even the Government apparently realised that the
trade had to be curbed and kept in check and if the Government
recognised that it was not wise, for the welfare of the community, to
increase the hours by even half an hour. He pointed out that in 1934 the
number of convictions for drunkenness in the town was only six, but in
1937 there were 27. He was quite aware that that might be due to
stricter Police supervision and he believed that probably it was, but
nevertheless it was an unwelcome increase and he submitted that if they
were going to extend the hours they would probably give opportunity for
increases numbers of charges of drunkenness.
The Mayor: In 1937 we had 27 cases, but you must remember that it was
Coronation year, when everyone was rejoicing. (Laughter.)
The Rev. S. G. Tweed said that they believed that the best way to
rejoice was to leave drink alone. It was just as patriotic to abstain
from drink. The percentage of drunkenness in the town was quite high as
compared with other towns whose figures had been given out that morning.
Out of the nine or ten places mentioned they stood fourth with 35 cases
of drunkenness per thousand of the population. They were told that the
extra half hour was for visitors and yet they were also told that most
of the charges of drunkenness were against visitors. Why give the
visitors extra chance of giving trouble to the Police? Therefor he
thought the Free Church Council and the Temperance Council were
justified in asking that the hours be not extended but rather that the
hour be made 10 o'clock all the year round.
The Mayor asked if the trade would agree to forego the half hour early
in the evening if the bench allowed them to open to half past ten all
year round.
Mr. Aldington said that his clients agreed to that.
The Magistrates Clerk: You don't represent the whole of the Licensed
Victuallers?
Mr. Aldington: No; only the members of the Association.
The Mayor said that they would take a vote on the extra half hour.
Later, after the Bench had discussed the matter, the Mayor stated that
they had agreed that there should be no change in the licensed hours,
but that they would carry on as before, the extension to 10.30 p.m.
applying to summer time only.
BROADSTAIRS HOTEL LICENCE
Mr. J. H. Robinson applied on behalf of Mr. Silverstone Thrush for the
renewal of the licence of the “Links Hotel,” Reading Street, St. Peter's
on the same conditions as before. Subject to the approval of the Bench
they had agreed with the representatives of the Customs and Excise on a
monopoly value of £150 for a licence of 5¼ years, payable at the rate of
£30 yearly.
The renewal of the licence was granted on those terms.
CHANGE OF NAME
The Bench approved an application made by Mr. J. H. Robinson to change
the name of the “Railway Hotel,” Broadstairs, to the “Clarendon Hotel.”
ADJOURNED MEETING
The bench fixed the adjourned annual licensing meetings for the
following dates: February 23rd, at Broadstairs, for renewing licences;
and March 7th, at Dover for hearing applications, (of any) for new
licences within the Liberties.
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