'Nuisance' Wolverhampton pub that caused misery loses licence appeal after boss fails to appear
The boss of a 'nuisance' pub neighbours want to see demolished has all but lost his chance to reopen the venue after he failed to appear at his own appeal hearing.
Mohammed Khalil Ali had wanted to overturn the decision by Wolverhampton Council to revoke the licence for The Pendulum, in Pendeford.
The pub - where drinkers were caught inside at the height of the first Covid lockdown in 2020 - lost its licence for the second time in two years in June 2022 after a catalogue of complaints from angry neighbours and repeated incidents were police were called.
West Midlands Police applied for a review last summer after reports that the venue had links to criminal activities. Officers also found three males living at the pub in February last year who were working illegally.
Wolverhampton Council's licensing committee agreed to revoke the licence, prompting an appeal from Mr Ali.
However, after failing to provide sufficient evidence, the boss of the Blaydon Road pub failed to appear at Dudley Magistrates' Court for Wednesday's appeal.
Council solicitor David Abel told the court that Mr Ali had initially given an email address for a solicitor that "didn't exist", and it was "unclear what the basis of his appeal is".
He went on to say that Mr Ali had submitted a "statement that's very vague," and added: "The freeholder of the pub is seeking to evict Mr Ali. If he is evicted he has no right of appeal."
At last year's hearing, Mr Abel told councillors that the premises had a history of complaints and no attempts had been made to rectify any breaches of the licensing conditions.
For several years a number of residents living near the pub have called for it be shut down and demolished, saying they have had enough of constant late night noise and repeated anti-social behaviour.
Prior to last year's licensing meeting, residents wrote to Wolverhampton Council urging them not to allow the pub to reopen, with one wanting to see the place torn down.
One said: “They just don’t care about the nuisance they make of themselves. I am not against anyone trying to make a living but – and it’s a big but – not at the expense of the quality of life for those around them.
“The residents I have spoken to agree with me on what should be done – close the pub completely, evict whoever is living there, make a compulsory purchase order and then demolish it."
Another wrote: “This establishment has had no concern for local residents and has constantly caused a noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour problems over many years, causing local residents to lose sleep," while a third resident said: “It appears that for many years now the pub has been run by landlords who just don’t care about the local residents.
"If you mention the pub to local people they don’t have a good word to say about it – and they are certainly not using it."
In response Mr Ali said: “This is the first enterprise that I have undertaken in respect of running a licensed premises on my own. I have found that it has been very difficult to both relaunch the pub after its extended closure and the present financial climate.
“I have realised that in running the pub I require help and assistance. In this respect I have engaged a manager who will be tasked with specifically undertaking all the issues that have been raised by the council.”
Prior to losing its licence last year, The Pendulum was in hot water in May 2020 when police caught people drinking inside during the first Covid lockdown.
Following the decision to revoke the pub's licence last year, a new application listing the premises as the Pendeford Bar & Grill has now been submitted to the council by Harminder Singh/Wish Supply UK Ltd was submitted in September, however this was not approved.
As well as dismissing the appeal, magistrates also ordered Mr Ali to pay £2,000 costs to Wolverhampton Council.
"Good luck getting it," magistrates told Mr Abel.
