News

Publican sees licensing bid refused

July 29, 2010

A YATELEY pub landlord has had a licensing application turned down in the interests of preventing crime and disorder, following objections raised by police.

Members of Hart’s licensing committee had considered an application by Hugh Asher, who runs The Highwayman in Monteagle Lane, Yateley, to become the pub’s designated premises supervisor.

They decided to reject the application following a police representation that Mr Asher held an undeclared criminal conviction for drink-driving, which made him unsuitable for the position.

Disturbances

In order to qualify as a premises supervisor, it is necessary that an applicant is over 18, holds a current personal licence and has not been convicted of a relevant offence.

During the hearing, which took place at the council’s civic offices in Fleet on Tuesday, councillors also heard reports of noise disturbances at the pub and a fight breaking out in the car park earlier in the year.

In reaching its decision, committee chairman Chris Butler said that the application was to be denied on the grounds of the police objection and the nature of Mr Asher’s conviction.

Responsibility

Councillor Butler said: “Having considered all the information presented to us today, we have decided to refuse the application.

“The position of designated premises supervisor is a central role with a lot of responsibility and Mr Asher has a drink-driving conviction less than one year old.”

Mr Asher will now have 21 days in which to appeal the licensing committee’s decision in the magistrates’ court.

For more details on this story see the Yateley News & Mail.

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We would like to support Hugh Asher's application to become the Highwayman's designated premises supervisor. Since he took over the Highwayman it has become a place to take your family - pensioner, teenager, middle-aged or baby...all are welcome at lunchtime. We have not visited in the evening but understand from friends it is a very pleasant place to go at that time. Mr Asher personally greets his lunchtime visitors and the pub seems to be running extremely well under his direction. We have noticed that the numbers are rising and the dining areas are busy most lunchtimes. Under his direction the pub feels a safe place to be and is easily the best run pub in Yateley with the best food. Whilst we understand the seriousness of the drink/driving conviction, we feel perhaps a 6 months trial could be a satisfactory answer for all concerned.

S&N Yateley

sylvia, UK
8/08/2010 at 12:28

When this pub was The Lanes, Poets Corner, and The Monteagle Arms, we suffered no end of noise and drunken disturbances here in School Lane. Since becoming The Highwayman, and the recent change of ownership, we rarely have any trouble attributed to the pub - though we do have plenty from inconsiderate groups of young people who decide to have a 'gathering' in the library car park or the school playground at two and three o'clock in the morning, both of which have the acoustics of an amphitheatre! All credit to Mr Asher for creating a very pleasant establishment, where we have dined several times in relative peace, without having to listen to the blare of the sports channel in the background. Nearly every day has a feature event, and Mr Asher is obviously doing his best to make The Highwayman an inclusive establishment for all ages, unlike before when you felt out of place if you had finished your education!