"Huge queues outside the Oak Inn in Coventry that opened on stroke of midnight"

[rebbonk]

My local doesn't seem to be exactly brimming with trade. I dropped in after walking the dog around 4:00. Apparently, I was the 4th customer all afternoon.

Thoughts are that those drinkers from the 'outside only' weeks have now returned to their own pubs. Talking to the manageress the other day, she is dreading another lockdown or further interference with the trade.

[dutchman]

I can't see them surviving with current levels of trade. Likewise the local cafés and takeaways.

[rebbonk]

I think it was in The Morning Advertiser that I read we'd already lost 2000 licensed premises to developers etc. so far this year.

What many people aren't aware of is that rents/rates etc. haven't been waived for licensees, they've been deferred. And where a pubco gets wind of a licensee in trouble, they start pressing for repayment, hastening the demise. I'd hate to be in the licensed trade at the moment.

[dutchman]

The crowd was back outside the Dyers on Saturday evening, although not quite as many as there used to be.

Typical that now they're allowed to drink inside, they all chose to drink outside!

No sign of the motorcyle crowd as yet.

[rebbonk]

I decided not to visit my local Monday as I thought they might be a little crowded, being a bank holiday. I walked past with the dog about 6:00, the place was almost empty. They seem to be getting a crowd in on the weekend evenings, but as they're paying for entertainment the bottom line might not be quite as good as it first appears.

[dutchman]

The café on the corner of Spon End and Spon Street, opposite the Old Dyers has closed and the owners moved elsewhere.

A neighbour told me the building's owner wanted to turn it into flats. I should think he has zero chance of that as it's a locally listed historic building.

Some people will remember it as being Garner's cooked meats & pies shop, seen here in 1974:

[dutchman]

The Old Dyers was closed when I passed it on Monday. The chip shop opposite's owner tells me the pub now only opens a few days each week, mainly on weekends.

[dutchman]

Police called to the Oak Inn 25 times since post-lockdown reopening



CoventryLive can reveal police have been called to the Oak Inn on Gosford Street a staggering 25 times since the pub's reopening in April.

The city centre establishment went viral in the spring thanks to pictures of scores of people queuing for the grand reopening at 12.01am on April 12 - the first time pubs could open due to lockdown since the previous October.

However, since then the pub has picked up an unenviable reputation, and we previously revealed West Midlands Police were trying to shut it down.

The final straw seemed to be when an alleged rape occurred at the premises in the early hours of September 4.

Now we can reveal officers were called to the pub 25 times between April and the start of September - with one night seeing cops making four visits.

The pub, along with many others in the city, opened for the first time since lockdown on April 12.

The following Saturday, April 17, officers attended the pub four times in one night, including one visit to address three separate reports of door staff using "unreasonable force".

Then an 18-year-old man claimed to have been assaulted by the door staff, while a 17-year-old girl claims she escorted from the pub by her arms over a dispute relating to drinks payments.

The same night saw the door staff tell police two men were spotted with a large knife - a man was subsequently arrested.

There were more allegations against the door staff two weekends later on May 2, then again on May 7 when it is alleged they dragged a woman along the floor before ejecting her from the pub.

The following night (May 8) police were called again, this time to reports of a fight and two men were arrested following an altercation with door staff. On the same night a woman claimed she'd been dragged off a bench for no reason and thrown to the floor.

In June a woman rang police while hiding in the Oak's toilets, saying people were fighting and she was too scared to leave.

At the end of June door staff ejected a man for drinking his own bottle of vodka in the pub - when police arrived the man had a black eye and a chipped tooth but he did not wish to press charges.

On July 8 someone reported seeing door staff punch a man, who had not been causing any trouble, to the ground, where he was allegedly punched again.

July 11 saw a car containing people previously turned away from the pub lingering near the entrance and an axe was said to have been spotted by door staff.

On July 24 police were called to reports of three girls fighting outside the pub. Upon arrival, officers discovered on an intoxicated female who was pulling another girls hair - the former was arrested.

Regarding the request for the pub's licence to be reviewed, a West Midlands Police spokesman, said: “We’re seeking a review of the license at the Oak Inn, Coventry, following a series of serious incidents and disorders at the venue, including a rape in the early hours of September 4 this year. That is a live investigation and enquiries are continuing.

“Our primary objective is preventing crime and disorder and to ensure people’s safety…that’s why we’ve taken this action.

“The case is due to be heard on November 15. We won’t be commenting further until a decision on our application has been made by the local authority.”

Coventry City Council was also approached for a comment, but declined as the case against the pub is ongoing.

[dutchman]

The Oak Inn has licence revoked after review



The Oak Inn has had its licence revoked after West Midlands Police demanded it be reviewed.

The Gosford Street pub has made headlines in recent months after a series of issues at the late night establishment.

Cops called for intervention from the council after they revealed officers were called to the pub 25 times in a matter of months, culminating in an alleged rape on the premises in September.

The hearing for the review took place today (Monday 15) and the licensing sub-committee unanimously voted to revoke the pub's licence - although press and public were barred from the meeting.

Councillor Christine Thomas, Chair of Coventry City Council’s Licensing and Regulatory Committee, said: “A three-member licensing sub-committee unanimously agreed to revoke the licence at the Oak Inn.

“We cannot divulge the reasons at this stage as there is an ongoing criminal investigation running in parallel with this hearing. This was the reason it was heard in private.

“Although the decision to revoke the licence has been made, the licence holder has 21-days from the receipt of the decision notice to appeal the decision. The pub can continue to operate until the end of the appeal period or the conclusion of the appeal process.”

West Midlands Police has also been approached for a comment regarding the decision.

Marstons, the brewery behind the pub, has also been approached for a comment.

[rebbonk]

There is something else behind this. If the licensee was guilty of 'obstruction', that in itself is a chargeable offence and he'd face the courts for it.