Wakefield Council is 'anti-Christmas' says Come Dine With Me winner who wants to serve mulled wine

A Come Dine With Me winner who’s been told he can’t serve alcoholic mulled wine at Castleford’s festive lights switch-on has branded the move “anti-Christmas”.
Wakefield Council has said alcoholic mulled wine CANNOT be served at Castlefords festive lights switch-on.Wakefield Council has said alcoholic mulled wine CANNOT be served at Castlefords festive lights switch-on.
Wakefield Council has said alcoholic mulled wine CANNOT be served at Castlefords festive lights switch-on.

Glenn Davison, who runs the Crepe Company, had asked Wakefield Council for a temporary licence to serve the seasonal drink at his pop-up stall at Tuesday’s switch-on, alongside coffee and crepes.

But the council has blocked the bid after police and enforcement officers objected, citing concerns about street drinkers taking advantage around Carlton Street.

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They said that as no gated area will be in place around the stalls, so unlike at Leeds’ Christmas market where punters can only drink alcohol within that area, the authorities may face anti-social behaviour problems.

But Hull-based Mr Davison, who won the Channel 4 cooking show in 2016, was critical of the decision.

He said: “I’ve been doing this for 15 years and this is the first time I’ve been rejected.

“The mulled wine I’m selling is very weak. It’s about two per cent, so you’d have to drink about six glasses to feel any effect. It’s on such a small scale.

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“I think it’s slightly anti-Christmas really. I think it’s nitpicking to be honest.”

Parts of Castleford town centre are covered by a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which was put in place in 2017 to stop anti-social behaviour related to street drinking in the area.

The order was put in place with public backing, and allows police to issue on the spot fines to anyone caught drinking in the vicinity, and to seize alcohol.

At a licensing hearing on Friday, which Mr Davison did not attend because he was running a stall in Whitby, police said the stall would be too close to where the PSPO is in force.

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Council enforcement officer Wayne Leake said that the authorities may have ended up having to apply different rules to different customers.

But he added: “You can’t police it like that. You just can’t. If it’s controlled and it’s clear, then fine. But at this point, the application isn’t.

“This could end up putting our officers at risk.”

Police also said Mr Davison’s application lacked detail about how many staff would be working and how he would enforce Challenge 21 policies to prevent underage drinking.

But Mr Davison said: “I don’t think street drinkers will be interested in the mulled wine I’m selling.

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“I think every town centre has problems with street drinking. I don’t think the problems Wakefield Council has will be any different.

“But we’ll still be there on Tuesday. We’ll be selling non-alcoholic mulled wine and will be there with a smile on our faces.”

An application from Greens’ Hot Chocolate to sell alcohol at Tuesday’s switch-on was also rejected by councillors on Friday, for similar reasons.

Nobody from the Skegness-based company attended the hearing and they could not be reached for comment.