Rovers Return: Featherstone bar could lose licence over noise and “rowdy behaviour”

Wakefield Council’s environmental health officers have called for a licence review at the Rovers Return in Featherstone.

Documents submitted to the local authority said residents living near to the bar, operated by Longspoon Pub Co Ltd, had “suffered” for more than a year due to “rowdy behaviour.”

A senior environmental officer at Wakefield Council, applied for the review after carrying out an investigation following complaints of noise, including “screaming, swearing and shouting”, coming from the premises.

They said the bar operators had been issued with noise abatement notices which had not been complied with.

They added that and the premises were “causing an offence daily” under the Environmental Protection Act.

According to the documents, the investigation was launched after the council’s community protection team was contacted in August last year relating to noise from people gathering at the entrance to the club.

The officer said council officers took videos, photographs and sound recordings during the investigation.

They said: “This evidence clearly demonstrated that the rowdy behaviour, shouting, screaming, swearing and occasionally loud music was unreasonable and excessive and occurred daily at different times of day and night whilst the club was open.”

Council and police officers returned to the bar, on Wilson Street, a month later and spoke with company directors Paul Spooner and Chris Long.

A new beer garden to the rear of the club was shown to the officers, who advised that noise levels would need to be controlled and monitored due to its proximity to residential properties.

The environmental officer said: “The complaints continued daily when the club was operating.

“Evidence gained demonstrated that the noise from patrons was causing a statutory nuisance.

“The levels of noise were increasing and affecting the quiet enjoyment of residents’ homes and causing sleep deprivation.”

The report said Mr Spooner was contacted in November and asked to set out how he was going to prevent further nuisance.

The director e-mailed images of a smoking shelter that he had built at the side of the club, which he said would “cause least disturbance” as it was located further away from neighbouring properties.

He also provided images of signs requesting customers not to gather in front of the entrance.

A further complaint was made regarding loud noise from a generator during club opening times and into the early hours of the morning.

The environmental officer said: “I spoke to Paul Spooner and he advised he was in dispute with the energy company for debts that were not his and therefore the supply of electricity was disconnected and the generator was needed whilst the club was open.

“Monitoring and evidence showed that the noise from the generator was amounting to a statutory nuisance.”

Two noise abatement notices were served in March over the generator and customer noise.

The officer said no action was taken to comply with the notices and more evidence was gathered to show “daily” breaches.

They added: “Unfortunately, my advice regarding the beer garden has been ignored and evidence gathered demonstrates that noise levels from children screaming and playing on a bouncy castle unsupervised up to 10pm during the weekend is further breaching the notice served.

“I also have evidence of patrons arguing and using inappropriate language in the presence of the children.

“There has been no regard for suffering the neighbours have faced for over a year due to their actions and I am now considering prosecution for the offence of failing to comply with the legal notices.”

Paul Dean, a licensing officer based with the council’s anti-social behaviour enforcement service, supported the request for a review.

Mr Dean said he had previously issued written warnings at the premises over licensing breaches.

He said: “The highlighted issues demonstrate that Mr Spooner, in his capacity as person in control of the business, has shown little to no regard to promote any of the licensing objectives.”

The review is due to take place at a council licensing sub-committee hearing at Wakefield Town Hall on September 17.

A resident has made a request to make representations at the hearing.

A statement said: “We are directly affected by ongoing disturbances and anti-social behaviour linked to the operation of the pub.”

The statement referred to previous incidents, including a “large fight” involving 20 people outside the premises.

The resident said: “This serious incident disturbed our sleep and caused us significant distress.

Commenting on another incident, said to have occurred in August this year, they said: “A group of patrons were shouting and singing outside, as though they were at a football match or stadium, for over 40 minutes.

“This occurred just one day after the licence review notice was posted at the entrance to the pub. The noise disturbed our young daughter’s sleep.

“Similar incidents have occurred on multiple weekends over the past year, regularly disturbing our family’s peace, impacting on our wellbeing, and creating an unsafe environment in the area.”