Victoria (3) 1910s

Folkestone Herald 5-10-1912

Elham County Bench

Thursday, October 3^rd: Before Mr. E. Garnet Man, A.S. Jones, F.E. Burke, R.J. Linton, G.W. Tester, H.P. Jacques, and A.M. Curties.

George Fullager was summoned for refusing to quit licensed premises when requested to do so.

Wm. Henry Monk stated that defendant went in to the Victoria, Risborough Lane, Cheriton, at 8.30 p.m. on September 21^st, but as he was drunk the barman refused to serve him, and called the potman to him. Witness also had his attention called to him, and he requested him to leave. Defendant used certain language to the potman, and then struck him in the face. The potman afterwards ejected him.

Harry Moseley, barman, and Albert Reeves, potman, both corroborated, the latter stating that he was knocked stupid.

Defendant said the barman grinned into his face and kept shaking his head. He did not like it, and it upset him.

The Chairman said the Bench were bound to assist a publican when he was doing his duty. Defendant would be fined £1 and costs (11s.), or one month`s imprisonment. A fortnight was allowed for payment.

Folkestone Daily News 23-4-1913

Extract from The Cheriton News

Why should Cheriton wait for more adequate licensing accommodation? There are at present only three licensed houses in Cheriton proper, one being a very small off licence, which can hardly be taken into account.

The White Lion Hotel practically possesses a monopoly unequalled in England. It is situate on the main road, and also faces the main road to the Camp. It has front and side frontages, and bar accommodation of about 150 feet, five splendid bars fitted up equal to those in the best London and suburban thoroughfares. It is equipped with five or six registered tills and staffs in the bars that can cope with four or five hundred customers. It also owns and has control of the frontage apart from the main road, and the enormous amount of business that we have noticed on Sunday evenings in the summer has been marvellous.

It now adjoins the only picture palace in Cheriton, and is also surrounded with laundries and other manufactories; in fact, on the north side of the railway it may be said to be the only place of public accommodation.

When population, rateable value, and everything is considered it seems marvellous that such a monopoly could exist.

In the exercise of our duty of looking into public matters, we imagined that this large hotel would probably be very valuable and would contribute largely towards the rates of Cheriton. We imagined that it would have been an asset to the ratepayers of Cheriton somewhat in comparison with the large hotels in Folkestone, and that it would command a somewhat similar rent.

By reference to a column of the Folkestone Daily News, which appears in this paper, it will be seen that the Queen`s Hotel is rated at £850 per year. We really thought that the White Lion Hotel, with all its facilities, would have been valued at something approaching that figure. On making enquiries we were amazed to find that the gross annual figure fixed by the Overseers of Cheriton for this magnificent hotel was only £210 per annum gross, and only has to pay rates on £168 per year.

Where are the enterprising brewery companies, wine and spirit merchants, etc.? They are complaining of depression of trade. We should think that with such premises so low rated they might be induced to erect buildings, obtain licences, and provide Cheriton with the increased hotel and licensed accommodation that is necessary.

We are so amazed and startled at the figures of this hotel that we visited the only other hotel, viz., the Victoria, which is situate in Risborough Lane on the main road to the Camp. This is a modern hotel, well fitted with two bars, and capable of accommodating about 100 persons. The frontage is a little over 50 feet, and we consequently thought that, taking the assessment of the White Lion as a basis for Cheriton`s rateable value, this place should have been assessed at about £60 per annum.

Oh, ye Gods! Judge our surprise at finding that the Victoria Hotel is rated at £200 per year gross and £160 rateable, within £8 of its competitor, which is practically three times as large, and maintains such a unique position.

We are only interested in these matters for the public, but we can imagine brewery companies and others fighting shy of Cheriton, and declining to provide necessary accommodation, when the assessment is carried out on such lines.

How do the Overseers and others arrive at their figures, and how do they draw their comparisons? What is the excise valuation of the White Lion? Surely those authorities would not be content with such a moderate assessment.

 

Folkestone Express 18-10-1913

Elham County Bench

Thursday, October 16^th: Before E. Garnet Man Esq., Captain Mansell, F.E. Burke, A.S. Jones, R.J. Linton, H.P. Jacques, and A.M. Curties Esqs.

Albert Austen was summoned for refusing to quit the licensed premises of the Victoria Hotel.

George Clayson, barman, said between nine and half past nine in the morning the defendant came into the house the worse for drink, and when he asked for a drink he refused to serve him and told him he had better go out.

Mr. Monk, the landlord, said he requested the defendant to leave several times, but he refused to do so. He had to get the police to eject him.

P.C. Marshall said he heard the landlord ask defendant to leave. He ejected him. Defendant was drunk.

Edwin Williams, painter, of 1, Alma Road, said he saw the defendant come in. He asked him if he would have a drink, and when defendant said he would, he ordered it from the barman.

Defendant, giving evidence, said he went into the bar, and he was not refused. When Mr. Monk said he was drunk he denied it. He had had only two pints and a half before he went into the public house.

Fined 2s. 6d. and 13s. costs, a week being allowed for payment.

Edwin Williams was summoned for procuring drink for the previous witness when he was drunk. He pleaded Not Guilty.

Fined 5s. including costs.

Folkestone Herald 18-10-1913

Elham County Bench

Thursday, October 16th: Before Mr. E. Garnet Man, Mr. F.E. Burke, Commander A.B. Mansell, Mr. A.M. Curties, Mr. A.S. Jones, and Councillor H.P. Jacques.
Albert Austin was summoned for refusing to quit the Victoria Hotel, Cheriton, on October 6th, after being told to leave.
Geo. Clayson, a barman, said at about 9.30 a.m. he refused to serve defendant, and told him he had better go. Defendant, however, sat upon a seat in the bar.

Mr. Monk, the landlord, stated that, seeing the defendant on the seat, drunk, he asked him to go several times, but he refused. Witness had to get a constable to eject defendant.

P.C. Marshall deposed to being called to the Victoria Hotel. Defendant refused to leave the house on being asked, and witness, with the assistance of P.C. Clow, had to eject him.

Edward Williams said that he went into the bar, and, seeing defendant there, asked him what he would have to drink. Witness got the drink and paid for it, and then left the house. The policemen had not come then.

Defendant declared that all he had had that morning was 2½ pints. That was up to nine o`clock.

The Chairman: That`s a tall order. So early, too.

The Bench fined defendant 2s. 6d. and the costs (13s.), allowing a week for payment.

Edward Williams was summoned for procuring a drink for a drunken person on October 6th.
Geo. Clayson, barman, said defendant came into the house with some others and got five drinks for his chums. Witness saw him give half a pint to Austin.

Geo. Henry Allen, called on behalf of defendant, said he heard Williams as Austin what he would have to drink. Austin was merry, but not drunk.

Defendant said he did not know that Austin he been refused, and did not think he was drunk.

Fined 5s., including costs.