Coventry pub licence stripped after £30,000 of suspected stolen goods, drugs and weapons found

[dutchman]

The owners of the Cedars Hotel will apply to have its licence re-instated this week



A Coventry pub had its licence stripped away after more then £30,000 of suspected stolen goods were found on the premises.

West Midlands Police applied to close The Cedars Hotel, in Coundon, after uncovering the hoard when they arrested landlady Emma Kenning over the suspected theft of a carpet cleaner in May.

She has not been charged and is currently on police bail.

Prior to the arrest, there had been catalogue of incidents at the pub including several instances of drugs being found and anti-social behaviour including excessive drunkenness and glass bottles being broken.

Following Miss Kenning’s arrest, police searched the pub and discovered a massive haul of allegedly stolen goods as well as weapons and drugs.

An engine hoist and alloy wheels were found as well as two quad bikes, two motorbikes, bicycles and power tools. A Ducati motorbike was also seized but was later found to have been paid for by cash.

Drugs, including cannabis, were also discovered along with numerous weapons including knives, knuckle dusters, a police style baton, hammers and an axe.

The venue’s licence was taken away after a three-month closure order was issued at Coventry Magistrate’s Court on May 6. Enterprise Inns, which owns the pub, has subsequently evicted Miss Kenning.

The firm is now attempting to restore the licence and Coventry City Council’s licensing sub-committee will hear the details of the case at 10am tomorrow.

Documents submitted ahead of the licensing hearing show that Miss Kenning took over the licence at the Cedars Hotel in July 2015 - her first licenced premises.

A statement from West Midlands Police said that “From as early as a few weeks into her lease, issues were highlighted around drunkenness of customers, drugs and general noise issues.”

On July 17, 2015 police said cocaine was found on the premises and people were found to be excessively drunk.

In September further visits uncovered evidence of drug use. Police held meetings with over crimes committed at the pub and breaches of the licence.

Two months later there was an assault at the pub over payment for a carpet where a man needed eight stitches to his eye.

In December several people were found to have drugs on them when police visited with dogs.

Police have insisted on several conditions if the licence is reinstated including CCTV to operate at the premises, training in licensing law for staff and introduction of an incident book. Police also want to carry out risk assessments two weeks before any event outside of normal day to day business, a guarantee that the personal license holder will be at any special events, a ban on glassware being taken outside and regular toilet checks to prevent drug use.

[dutchman]

Coundon pub where weapons, drugs and suspected stolen goods found to reopen

A Coundon pub will be allowed to continue trading after police found an assortment of weapons, drugs and suspected stolen goods worth £30,000 hidden on the premises.

A Coventry City Council Licensing Committee decided today that The Cedars Hotel in Barkers Butts Lane would be allowed to reopen - but with a number of conditions.

Committee members heard representations from Enterprise Inns, who had taken the licence back from landlady Emma Kenning, that they were not here to “defend or apologise” for her.

They were supported during the meeting by West Midlands Police who recommended that the pub should be reopened after Coventry Magistrates issued the troubled pub with a Closure Order on May 6.

The pub was closed for three months after Kenning, who had never controlled a licensed premises before, was arrested on suspicion of stealing a carpet cleaner.

She has not been charged and is currently on police bail.

Richard Taylor, solicitor for Enterprise Inns, explained to the committee that regional manager Phil Thomas had followed the correct procedures when hiring Kenning.

He said: “Thankfully with 5,000 plus public houses this is a relatively rare event.

“Mr Thomas did the right thing. He got in touch with police and said “What do you think?”. They said there was nothing we could object to.

“There was nothing, we, you or the police could tell us to show she was anything other than a decent candidate.”

The seven conditions placed on the licence include: no glassware to be taken outside of the premises, regular toilet checks, the implementation of an incident and refusals book and CCTV operating at the premises to the agreed standard of West Midlands Police.

[Melisandre]

I am shocked to hear it was closed for the above reasons this use to be a great pub when I left that area in fact my youngest daughters friend from school ran this pub 18 years ago it was nt like that then.

[Melisandre]

I should of said my youngest daughters friends parents ran the Cedars my apology.

[rebbonk]

I know a little about this. Emma was he fall guy.

[dutchman]

Troubled Coventry pub shuts its doors after landlord quits

A Coventry pub with a troubled past has closed its doors - but the owners insist they plan on re-opening the venue.

The Cedars, in Coundon, has closed down after the landlord decided to quit.

Ei Publican Partnerships, which owns the pub, said it was currently assessing its options, but that it planned to get the pub back up and running as soon as possible.

The pub, on Barker’s Butts Lane, has a colourful past and was shut down briefly last summer when the council stripped the venue of its licence.