The Bell Hotel: Stourbridge pub faces licence review after police demand hearing
A pub in a Black Country town centre is to come under scrutiny after its licence was put up for review by police.
The Bell Hotel, in Market Street, Stourbridge, will be the subject of a premises licence review on Tuesday.
West Midlands Police requested the review based on a number of events it will not yet reveal.
Dudley Council’s licensing authority and public heath officers have been asked to make representations ahead of the hearing.
The pub was taken over by Marstons in January last year, which last month changed their supervisor at the drinking hole.
Jeremy Eaton, spokesman for the pub firm, said: “We have followed all the actions requested by the licensing authority and look forward to the outcome of Tuesday’s hearing.”
The pub’s current licence means it can serve alcohol and hold entertainment up to 2am from Thursday to Sunday, and to midnight from Monday to Wednesday.
The licensing sub-committee has a number of options at the hearing. It can suspend or revoke the licence.
Stourbridge town centre ward Councillor Nicholas Barlow has also made a representation regarding the licence review ahead of the hearing.
He said: “The police have had concerns about the running of the establishment and I believe that is why they have asked for this review.
“It is all about the authorities getting reassurances that Stourbridge is a safe place for a night out. I will be going along to the hearing next week to hear the representations from the pub and police.
“With the death of a young man in the town centre last year, we must ensure our town centre is a safe place.”
Eight years ago the pub had a bid to extend its opening hours blocked for a second time. The pub wanted to sell alcohol until 3am Sunday to Thursday and up to 4am on Fridays and Saturdays.
But the council refused it because of fears of drink-fuelled crime and the precedent that permission would set.
In August last year 24-year-old Ryan Passey was murdered at Chicago’s bar in Stourbridge.
The bar, despite strong opposition in the town, reopened a month later.
Kobe Murray, 19, of The Broadway, Dudley, denies murdering Mr Passey.
He is due to face a trial on Wednesday January 24.
