North Wales pub blackout
Eleven pubs in two North Wales towns have been ordered to close en masse for 48 hours — or face prosecution — for multiple underage sales.
However, plans to force the Denbigh and Ruthin pubs to close over the Easter weekend were dropped, to avoid the impression that the towns were "closed for business" in such a crucial trading period.
Despite agreeing to change the dates, forced closures on this scale represent a very tough approach by the authorities. Licensees could face fines of up to £20,000 if they accepted prosecution.
The pubs were told to either close for 48 hours, via a closure notice, or face prosecution after failing two or three test purchase operations.
The council and police proposed that the pubs should shut over the Easter weekend but moved the dates to Friday 9 April and Saturday 10 April after licensees complained at a pubwatch meeting earlier this week.
Roly Schwarz, community safety enforcement manager for Denbighshire, said: "The representations raised a concern that other premises that had done nothing wrong could be adversely affected on one of the busiest weekends of the year.
"This decision is not made lightly but the number of premises involved here makes for unusual circumstances and could give out a message that the towns themselves were closed for Easter."
Ironically, Schwarz hit the headlines in 2006 when he suggested 16 year-olds should be allowed to drink alcohol in pubs.
Chief Inspector Andrew Williams from North Wales Police said: "The reasoning for the closure action is simple. Following recent joint agency test purchase operations, young people under the age of 18 years were directly served with alcohol whilst inside the various premises.
"This happened not once but on two and in some cases, three separate occasions.
"As the public are aware, drunken people in general cause significant crime and disorder problems nationally. In particular, drunken people who are younger than 18 years are particularly vulnerable to crime and other associated health and social problems so it is imperative that all licensees take a pro-active approach in protecting them.
"The premises operators do not have to accept these types of closure orders and they can elect instead to have their cases heard at court; the choice is entirely their own."
Denbigshire County Council said the 11 premises have all agreed to undergo training "so that the risk of future underage sales is reduced".
Licensees of the pubs contacted by the Morning Advertiser declined to comment.
