A Carlisle club is facing a licensing hearing next week after concerns were raised by Cumbria police that it has allegedly been serving underage customers.
Bosses from Truth nightclub will face councillors and officers from Cumbria police at a meeting of Cumberland Council’s licensing sub committee on Thursday, December 7.
The meeting has been called following a request from Sergeant Carol Black to review a premises licence for Truth Enterprises.
The report said: “Cumbria Constabulary detail that Truth has not satisfied them in respect of the licence holders undermining three of the licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and also the protection of children from harm.”
According to a separate redacted statement, Sgt Black said that officers were made aware of a number of underage customers at the premises and spoke with managers outside the premises on September 30.
They were told that there was a private party and were eventually told it was an 18th birthday party with a similar event the previous night.
She said the bar was cleared and added: “There were intoxicated underage people in the area of Englishgate Plaza and Botchergate which is an area that contains approximately another 20 licenced premises for them to try and enter.
“Clearly a safeguarding issue and not promoting the licensing objective to protect children from harm.”
The conversation with management was recorded by police using body worn video equipment and Sgt Black said it would be available during the hearing.
Sgt Black also provided a statement which documents an encounter with an intoxicated girl who said she had been drinking in Truth on September 30 and that she was only 16 years old.
In her statement, Sgt Black said Truth had received a warning letter dated July 12, 2023, following an under-18s event in June, and again safeguarding concerns were raised because there were more than 300 people there and the temperature was around 29 degrees C.
According to the licensing report Truth Enterprises has held the premises licence for the Englishgate Plaza unit since December 2, 2020, and records at Companies House show the directors of the company to be Benjamin Andrew Read and David Thompson.
It said: “On December 1, 2022, an application was received from Truth Enterprises to change the designated premises supervisor to Mark Charles Winter. Mr Winter remains the DPS until the present date.”
Cumberland Council’s licensing department issued a licence review application which was delivered to the premises by a licensing officer in October.
The report states: “Details of the review have been advertised on the council’s website. The notice advised of the grounds for the review and requested representations should be made by November 10, 2023 to Cumberland council in writing. All statutory consultees were served a copy of the review application.”
According to the report, responses had been received from the council’s environmental health department and the Ibis Hotel in Botchergate.
The report states: “Officers from Cumbria Constabulary will be present at the sub-committee meeting to address members and present their application and statements and to clarify questions.”
Next week’s public meeting at the Civic Centre in Carlisle is due to start at 10.30am.
