Connah's Quay: Pub's 2am opening request rejected

The Albion club in Connah's Quay is currently closed but new licensees want to reopen the venue until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

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A Connah's Quay pub’s bid to open until 2am at weekends has been turned down after residents claimed the extended hours would make their lives a ‘misery’.

Flintshire County Council’s licensing committee refused to allow the Albion Club on Church Hill, to open until 2am instead of 11pm on Monday-Saturday and 10.30pm on Sundays.

However, hours were increased until midnight on Monday-Saturday and 11pm on Sunday.

Residents feared that if the later hours were granted then the pub, which has been closed for a year, would once again become a hotspot for anti-social behaviour and violence.

Cllr Gill Faulkner said that in the past residents had been kept awake at night by noise and revellers being sick and urinating on their driveways and fighting in the street.

At the meeting she said: “It is heartbreaking to listen to the misery of Connah’s Quay residents and what they have been through.”

Applicant Lee Owen of Saxon Leisure (NW) Ltd also proposed that indoor sporting events such as boxing, wrestling and cage fighting would take place on the premises and live music.

He told the committee that he understood residents’ concerns but reassured underage drinking and anti-social behaviour would not be tolerated.

Mr Owen said: “I know residents have heard it all before but if they look into our business they will know that we are different.”

He added that they plan to attract those over the age of 25 and that door supervision would be enforced.

Mr Owen referred to his extensive experience in the trade – more than 20 years – and said he has an ‘excellent’ reputation in the Wirral and with Merseyside Police.

Cllr Faulkner spoke on behalf of worried residents.

She relayed concerns that there were a number of elderly that lived within yards of the pub.

Police had given their support to the application and North Wales Police Eastern Licensing Officer Ann Williams, recommended that the Albion Club be allowed to extend their hours to 2am at weekends.

She was unable to attend the licensing meeting, but sent Sargeant Steve Arnold in her place.

However, he said that while he had not been part of discussions, personally he ‘would not like to see’ the pub open until 2am and he was concerned over the potential extra demand that the extended hours could create for police.

County Councillor for Connah’s Quay Central, Bernie Attridge, said he was ‘dumbfounded’ and ‘amazed’ by the police’s support.

He said: “I am absolutely amazed that they have recommended this after the years and years of anti-social behaviour at the club.”

“I have strong objection to a 2am licence at the Albion.”

Cllr Attridge said that when other pubs in the town had applied for later opening hours, North Wales Police had objected.

He added: “I am dumbfounded to know how police can change their mind. Enough is enough, it does not need a license until 2am.”

The licensing committee also stipulated that Mr Owen must give 14 days notice to police of any planned events involving wrestling, boxing and cagefighting.

The decision is subject to a review in six months time.

After the meeting Cllr Faulkner said she was ‘very pleased’.

She said: “I am very pleased with the decision particularly that a review will take place. I will encourage residents to call 101 if they experience problems. They won’t put up with trouble.”