Torquay pub keeps licence despite ‘noise and disruption’ row

A Torquay pub has kept its licence despite having been called before Torbay Council’s licensing sub-committee twice this year.

But the council decided that the pub’s ‘designated premises supervisor’ should be removed with immediate effect.
The Devon Dumpling in Shiphay Lane must now operate according to a number of strict conditions after councillors heard that noise from the pub late at night could be ‘unacceptable’.
One of the conditions says the pub must install a sign in the car park telling patrons to leave the premises quietly and respectfully.
The pub’s new manager said things had changed, and he was looking forward to making the Devon Dumpling the ‘country pub’ it once was again. A silent disco is among the events planned for charity.
The minutes of the meeting, published on the council’s website, say councillors gave serious consideration to revoking the premises licence, but decided that the immediate removal of the current designated premises supervisor, together with slight amendments to some existing conditions, would be enough.
One local resident said she and her family had suffered noise and disruption for the six years they had lived at the property, including harassment and intimidation from people they believed to be patrons of the Devon Dumpling.
She said she had seen drunk customers driving away from the pub, which she believed did not sell alcohol responsibly. However, she had not reported anything to police, saying she did not think any action would be taken. She had not approached the pub directly either.
Councillors watched mobile phone footage showing noise from the car park and beer garden late at night, and said the level shown in at least one of the videos was unacceptable.
Since a review earlier this year four complaints had been received relating to noise, two from live music and two from the outside areas of the pub. Conditions set out at the previous review had not been complied with.
A representative from the pub said at the council meeting that he had misunderstood the decision of the last review and had been unclear on the date when conditions had to be complied with. He said all conditions had now been met.
Councillors said they were concerned at what appeared to be a high turnover of managers at the Devon Dumpling, but they were reassured to note that a new, experienced manager was now living on-site with his partner. There was, he said, a vision to market the pub to a different clientele, to become more food-led and to return to the ‘country pub’ that the Devon Dumpling once was.  
Measures have now been put in place to ensure that people leave the pub quietly, and the meeting heard there had been ‘noticeable improvements’. 
The meeting minutes go on: “Members were unanimous that the systemic issues at the premises arose from poor management and had no confidence in the current designated premises supervisor, who they found to show a lack of commitment and willingness to engage effectively with the licensing team or uphold the licensing objectives.”
New manager Clive Maynard said: “We want to go back to being the village pub, the local community pub. We want to do good food, good beer and good company, making this a fun place to meet.”
He said he already planned events including a silent disco to raise funds for the children’s ward at nearby Torbay Hospital. 
“We want to be welcoming for all age groups to enjoy,” he said. “We are not going to be a music-driven venue, we are going to be community-driven.”