A LITANY of problems at a pub over nearly a decade, which culminated in a fatal attack on a man in its car park, has resulted in the venue having its licence revoked.

A damning report about The Cricketers pub, in Heath End Road, Baughurst, has outlined the reasons why a borough council Licensing Sub-Committee revoked the venue’s licence after a meeting on March 15.

The pub was most recently in the news following the death of 53-year-old Peter Bradfield, who was assaulted in the venue's car park on December 22 last year, before dying two days later on Christmas Eve.

However, it was not only for this reason that the pub’s licence was placed under review.

The Trust Inns-run pub had a myriad of non-compliance issues over a number of years, which led to ‘the current climate of drunken and unlawful behaviour’, according to a decision notice.

The serving of alcohol to an underage person, high levels of cocaine in the toilets (according to a Hampshire Constabulary letter), display of an out-of-date licence and inadequate staff training were some of the issues that led to the licence revocation by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Part of the Licensing Sub-Committee decision notice read: “Of particular concern to the Licensing Sub-Committee is the failure to protect children from the serious harm caused by the underage selling of alcohol.

“In addition, the selling of alcohol to persons who are drunk is a very serious matter and one which seems, from the evidence given, to have taken place regularly at these premises.

“It is also of great concern that on the evening when a customer lost his life, neither the designated premises supervisor nor staff took action to call the police when abusive and violent behaviour arose between customers.

“This should have been a basic requirement of staff training.”

The report stated since Trust Inns took over the premises licence in 2010, there have been eight different designated premises supervisor (DPS) appointments.

Aside from the DPS who started when Trust Inns took over, only one other appointment lasted longer than a year.

The representing solicitor for Trust Inns at the sub-committee said that even if the premises licence was retained, the Cricketers would remain a ‘high risk premises’. According to the decision notice, “there are two communities who don’t like each other, so there is always a chance of bad behaviour” and that “they were always aware of the potential for issues.”

The representative said in response to the question as to whether the conditions might improve were the pub to be directly managed by Trust Inns, that this was “not a financially viable option.”

In summing up the decision, the notice read: “The culture that has built up at The Cricketers pub over the past several years, culminating in a death, must be fully and finally addressed to prevent further serious harm.

“The sub-committee has been given no good reason to expect that the continued appointment of successive designated premises supervisors will lead to improvement.

“The Licence Holder, Trust Inns, has not demonstrated that it is able to appoint, manage and retain an appropriate DPS capable of handling the business of this premises in a way that responsibly and effectively promotes the licensing objectives.”

The notice concluded: “It is hoped that this decision will lead to the re-opening of the pub in the future under a new regime which is able to run a licensed premise in a way that serves and enhances the local community.”

A spokesperson for Trust Inns said: “We are unable to comment as this is part of an ongoing process, but we are very disappointed with the current situation.”