Folkestone
Express 26-1-1935
Local News
The Folkestone Magistrates had before them on Tuesday
an application for a protection order to allow Mr. Moxom to sell intoxicating
liquors at the Mechanics Arms until the next transfer sessions. Mr. Steward was
the outgoing landlord. The application was granted.
Folkestone
Herald 26-1-1935
Local News
The Folkestone Magistrates have granted a protection
order this week in respect of licensed premises in the town.
On Tuesday a protection order was granted to Mr. J.W.G.
Moxom in respect of the Mechanics Arms, St. John`s Street, the outgoing tenant
being Mr. Steward.
Folkestone
Express 16-2-1935
Annual Licensing Sessions
The annual Licensing Sessions was held on Wednesday at
the Folkestone Town Hall, when the Chief Constable (Mr. A.S. Beesley) reported
that there had only been 15 convictions for drunkenness, the number being the
same as the previous year. One licence, that of the Mechanics Arms, was
referred to the adjourned licensing sessions, all the others being renewed. The
licensing hours were extended for the whole of the summer time period by half
an hour, from 10 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. on weekdays.
Mr. R.G. Wood presided, and a number of Magistrates
were on the Bench.
Radnor Street Licensed Houses
Several of the clergy and ministers and representatives
of various religions and temperance bodies were present in Court, evidently
with a view to watching the proceedings concerning the licensed houses in the
Radnor Street area. Mr. C.F. Nicholson, the Town Clerk, was also present.
The Chairman asked the Town Clerk if he had anything to
say.
Mr. Nicholson said he really did not quite understand
the position with regard to the licences in the Radnor Street area. Did they
want him to explain what the Corporation`s proposals would be?
The Clerk (Mr. C. Rootes): These licences will be
renewed today?
Mr. Nicholson: Certainly.
The Clerk: Nothing comes in force until next year?
Mr. Nicholson: The Corporation do not own any of the
licences for the moment. I did not anticipate I should have to explain anything
today.
The Chairman: We are asked to renew four licences in
the area. We have no official information. It is a question whether they should
be renewed or referred to the adjourned sessions. We know something by
newspapers. We can defer the renewal and in the meantime think over what action
we shall take.
Mr. Nicholson: The owners of these houses are not
represented this morning. Is it proper for me to say anything about it?
The Chairman: Why are you here?
Mr. Nicholson: I did not ask to be here.
The Rev. Dr. Carlile: Is this an application now being
made for the renewal of the four licences? If so, have the applications been
made in order?
The Clerk, to Mr. Nicholson: Is there anything you have
to officially mention? In the ordinary course there is an application for the
renewal of all the licences, which does not affect what you are doing in the
Radnor Street area.
Mr. Nicholson: I am not making any application this
morning.
The Chairman: We would like to have some information of
what is likely to happen.
Mr. Nicholson said as they were probably aware the
Corporation had submitted to the Ministry of Health a compulsory purchase
order. There were four licensed houses in the area. The Ministry declined to
allow the Corporation to purchase three of the houses and they were struck out
of the order. The remaining house, the Packet Boat, would be acquired by the
Corporation as a going concern. It so happened that the Jubilee, the Ship, and
the Oddfellows Arms, where they now stood, interfered with the proposed lay-out
of the new houses, and on instructions he entered into negotiations with the
owners. Two of them, the Jubilee and the Oddfellows Arms, agreed to re-erect, subject
to the approval of the Magistrates, on alternative sites that would enable the
Corporation`s lay-out scheme to be proceeded with. With regard to the Ship Inn,
he had not yet received the decision of the owners as to whether they were
prepared to pull down and re-erect a new house. The terms of the arrangements
with the Jubilee and the Oddfellows were subject to applications which would be
made to them in due course. There was to be an exchange of land in connection
with them. There was to be no cost to the Corporation other than paying the
tenant for the trade fixtures. With regard to the Ship Inn, he had not obtained
information whether they were prepared to pull down. That house did not
interfere with the scheme so much as the other two. It would be much better for
the scheme if that house was pulled down and re-erected, but the Corporation
could not insist upon it. The other owners had done all they could to assist in
their scheme. The Packet Boat would be definitely acquired. Notice to treat had
been served and a claim had been sent in. The Ministry confirmed the order
which included that house.
Mr. E.H. Philcox, who stated he represented a number of
residents in that area, said he would like to raise a question on the renewal
of the houses.
The Clerk: I cannot see you have any locus standi.
Mr. Philcox asked if the matter for the removals would
come up at the adjourned sessions. If so, he would be there to object. It
seemed to him they would be able that day to only provisionally renew the
licences for the time being, or mention that they would be referred on the
ground of redundancy.
Dr. Carlile said a very considerable number of
residents were interested in those four licences. If there was any
consideration of the question of the renewal of the licences they definitely
asked that their views might be considered in reference to redundancy.
The Chairman enquired what the police view was.
The Chief Constable said at the Magistrates` primary
meeting he received instructions to go into the question of redundancy and
ascertain whether it would be possible to differentiate between the houses. He
did so and he found some considerable difficulty in saying because it was an
established fact that there were not too many licensed houses for the summer trade
in the area. All the houses did extremely well. Whether they were structurally
adapted or not was open to enquiry. The houses less structurally fitted were
doing a better trade. More customers were in those pokey houses than in the
better houses. There was, he supposed, a psychological reason for it. He had
had a system of paying monthly visits and it gave him a line on the trade. He
had selected a certain number of houses and they had put them into three
groups.
The Chief Constable then described the groups and gave
details of the numbers of customers in them at certain times. The first group
consisted of the Mechanics Arms, the Honest Lawyer, and the Harvey Hotel. The
second group included the Harbour Hotel, the True Briton, the London and Paris
Hotel, and the Princess Royal. The third group were the Alexandra Hotel, Royal
George, South Foreland, the Wonder, the Pavilion Shades, the Chequers, the
Wellington, the Royal Oak, and the Lifeboat.
The Magistrates retired to consider the matter and on
their return the Chairman said they had decided to renew all the licences with
the exception of the Mechanics Arms, which they renewed until the adjourned
licensing sessions when it would be considered with regard to redundancy.
Dr. Carlile: Then no objection can be taken here and
now, or in any other place, to the four licences involved in the scheme?
The Clerk: There will be applications for removals
later and anyone can be heard at the time those applications are made. That is
the position.
The Chairman: It will be better for the objections to
be raised when the transfer comes along.
Dr. Carlile: It puts us at a very serious disadvantage.
There will only be a question of renewal then.
The Chairman: It is a question of renewing them for one
year now.
Dr. Carlile: It will be a question of the removal of
licences that have already been granted.
The Chairman: That is the position.
Licences Transferred
The following licences were transferred: London and
Paris Hotel, from Mrs. Venner to Mr. C. Garland; Mechanics Arms to Mr. Moxon.
Folkestone
Herald 16-2-1935
Annual Licensing Sessions
Another year of sobriety was reported by the Chief Constable (Mr. A.S.
Beesley) to the Licensing Magistrates at the annual Licensing Sessions for the
Borough, which were held at the Town Hall on Wednesday. All the licenses were renewed with the
exception of that of the Mechanics’ Arms, which was referred to the adjourned
annual Sessions with a view to the question of redundancy being considered. During the Sessions reference was made
to the four licensed houses in the Radnor Street area, a statement being made
by the Town Clerk.
The Magistrates were Mr. R.G. Wood, Mr. A.E.
Pepper, Mr. J.H. Blarney, Dr. W.W. Nuttall, Alderman T.S. Franks, Alderman
Mrs. E. Gore, Mr. P. Seager, Alderman W. Hollands and Alderman J.W. Stainer.
The Town Clerk (Mr. C. F. Nicholson) was
present and it was suggested he should address the Magistrates. He said that he
did not quite understand what they wanted him to tell them.
The Clerk (Mr. C. Rootes): What is the
position of the licensed houses in the Radnor Street area?
The
Town Clerk: You want me to explain what the effect of the Corporation’s proposals in regard to the
Radnor Street area will be?
The Clerk: These licences won’t be renewed, will they?
The Town Clerk: Certainly. The Corporation don’t own any of the
licences at the moment.
The Clerk: They may.
The Town Clerk: Only one. If the Bench want me
to explain what the position is likely to be I shall be pleased to do so.
The
Chairman said they were asked to renew four licences in the area. They had no official information as to what
would happen to them. The question arose whether they should be renewed that
morning or put over to the adjourned Sessions.
The Town Clerk pointed out that the owners of the houses were not represented
that morning. Was it proper for him to say anything about it in their absence?
The Chairman: Why are you here?
The Town Clerk explained that he was asked to come.
The Clerk said he thought the Magistrates might like some information.
Dr. J.C. Carlile, who was present with other clergy and ministers, then
asked if an application was now being made for the renewal of these licences in
the Radnor Street area.
The Clerk (to the Town Clerk): Is there anything you have to mention
this morning why the licences should not be renewed in the ordinary way?
The Town Clerk said it would not affect what the Corporation were doing
in the Radnor Street area if the licences were renewed. He pointed out that he
was making no application to the Magistrates that morning. As they were probably aware the
Corporation had submitted to the Ministry of Health a Compulsory Purchase Order
for the acquisition of most of the properties in the Radnor Street area.
Included in the order were four licensed houses, the Jubilee Inn, the
Oddfellows’ Inn, the Ship Inn and the Packet Boat Inn. When the Minister came
to consider the order he declined to allow the Corporation to purchase three
of those houses, the Jubilee, the Oddfellows’ and the Ship. They were struck
out of the order on the ground of the expense which would be involved if the
Corporation had to acquire them. The remaining house, the Packet Boat Inn,
would be acquired by the Corporation. It so happened that the position of the Jubilee Inn and the Oddfellows’
Inn as they stood at the present time interfered with the proposed lay-out of
the new houses. On the instructions of the Corporation he had entered into
negotiations with the owners of the houses concerned and two of them, namely
the Jubilee and the Oddfellows, had agreed, subject to the approval of the
Magistrates, to pull down and build new houses on alternative sites. That
would enable the Corporation’s lay-out scheme to be proceeded with, but with
regard to the other house, the Ship Inn, he had not yet received the decision
of the owners of that house as to whether they were prepared to pull down and
erect a new house on a new site. These terms of the arrangements with the
owners of the Jubilee and Oddfellows’ were subject to an application which
would be made to the Magistrates in due course. The owners of the houses were
conveying to the Corporation the sites of their existing houses in exchange
for sites on which they would build new houses. There was to be no cost to the
Corporation other than certain compensation to the tenant. In spite of the fact
that the houses were struck out of the order, the way in which the owners had
met the Corporation would enable the lay-out scheme to be proceeded with as
they desired.
The Chairman: That’s for two of the houses?
The Town Clerk replied that that was so. With regard to the Ship Inn, as
he had stated, he had not yet obtained the decision of the owners of the house.
If they decided to stay where they were, their house would not interfere with
the scheme so much as the other two had done. It would mean that their house
would abut in front of a line of cottages which were going to be built there.
The Chairman: It won’t seriously interfere with you?
The Town Clerk: No, but it would be much better if they would. We cannot
insist on them doing so. The other owners have done all they can to meet the
wishes of the Corporation. Continuing, the Town Clerk said
the fourth house was the Packet Boat Inn which was to be acquired by the
Corporation.
Dr. Carlile: Is it?
The Clerk: Don’t interrupt, please.
Continuing, the Town Clerk said notice to treat had been served and a
claim had been sent in. That house was being acquired because the site was
definitely required in connection with the lay-out scheme, and the Ministry had
confirmed an order which included that house but excluded the other three.
Mr. E.H. Philcox, a solicitor, then rose and asked permission to speak.
He stated that he represented a number of residents in the area: He wanted to address the Bench on the question of
the renewal of these licences.
The Clerk said he could not see any locus standi.
Mr. Philcox said when the matter did come before them again in
connection with the removals of these houses he would be there to object on
behalf of a number of residents. It did seem to him, however, that it would be
more satisfactory if they only provisionally renewed those licences that day. Amongst the
points he would make would be one on the grounds of redundancy.
Dr. Carlile said if the Magistrates were going to discuss this matter he
wished to point out that a considerable number of residents were interested in
these four houses and if there was any consideration of the question of the
renewal of these licences then they asked that their views might be considered
in reference to the question of redundancy. If the Magistrates were going to
refer them back no further word need be said now on the subject.
The Chief Constable said he received the Magistrates’ instructions at
their preliminary meeting in regard to the question of redundancy. He had found
some considerable difficulty in deciding. It was an established fact that there
were not too many licences in the borough for the summer trade, for all houses
did extremely well during the period, whether structurally adapted for the
purpose or not. One found that houses the least structurally fitted were doing
a better trade. They found more customers in these pokey houses. He supposed
there was a psychological reason for it. He had had a system since he had been
there of monthly visits and those visits gave him a line on what trade the
houses were doing. He had selected a number of houses and grouped them into
three groups.
The first group included the Mechanics Arms, the Honest
Lawyer, and the Harvey Hotel. He had taken comparative figures for the
year and these figures showed that the Honest Lawyer had an average of 19 customers
on every occasion they were visited; the Harvey Hotel 16, and the Mechanics
Arms six. They made a special series of visits
between January 17th and February 3rd and they found that
the Mechanics Arms had an average of five; the Harvey 10; and the Honest Lawyer
17. They would see from those figures that the figures were pretty well the
same for the whole year. It would appear superficially that of these three the
Mechanics Arms was the one to go.
He had another group made. It consisted of the Harbour Hotel, the True
Briton, the London and Paris and the Princess Royal. The figures for the year
showed an average of 28.5 for the Harbour Hotel; 17.5 for the True Briton; 46.5
for the London and Paris; and 7 for the Princess Royal. The licensee of the Princess Royal had
been there for 25 years and in spite of the figure he had mentioned they seemed
to be making a living somehow or other.
The Chief Constable mentioned a third group which included the Alexandra,
the Royal George' the South Foreland, the Wonder, the Pavilion Shades, the
Chequers, the Wellington, the Royal Oak and the Lifeboat. The two which were
doing the least trade, judged by' his figures, were the' Wonder with an average
of 12 and the Lifeboat with an average of 14. The others were not doing very
much better. It. was difficult to differentiate in that group. He was prepared to take directions from the Magistrates, but he was not
prepared to give any.
The Magistrates then retired.
The Chairman stated on their return that with reference to Dr. Carlile’s
question, the Bench had decided that later on he (the Chairman) should renew
all the licences with the exception of the Mechanics Arms, the licence of which
the Magistrates had decided not to renew that morning but refer to the
adjourned Sessions to have evidence of redundancy or otherwise.
Dr. Carlile: That means ho objection can be taken here and now or at any
other place to the four licences involved in the Radnor Street scheme?
The Chairman: I think now is the time for you to raise any objection.
The Clerk pointed out that there would be applications for the removals of
these licences later on and then anyone could be heard.
The Chairman: That will be the better time, then.
Dr. Carlile said it put them at a very serious disadvantage because the
licences would be granted again and there would only be the question of
removal. It meant that when it came to the question of removal of the licences,
it would be the removal of a licence which was already in being.
The Chairman: I am afraid that that is the position.
The Chairman then announced the renewal of all licences with the exception
of the Mechanics Arms, which he stated would be deferred until the adjourned
sessions.
The Magistrates approved of the transfer of
the London and Paris Hotel from Mrs. Venner to Mr. Claude Garland; the transfer
of the licence of the Mechanics Arms to Mr. Moxon.
Folkestone
Express 16-3-1935
Adjourned Licensing Sessions
On Wednesday at the adjourned licensing sessions the
Magistrates considered the question of renewing the licence of the Mechanics
Arms, St. John`s Street, which had been referred for consideration by them in
respect to the matter of redundancy at the annual licensing sessions.
The Magistrates on the Bench were Mr. R.G. Wood, Mr.
A.E. Pepper, Mr. J.H. Blamey, Dr. W.W. Nuttall, Alderman T.S. Franks, Alderman
Mrs. E. Gore, Eng. Rear Admiral L.J. Stephens, Alderman W. Hollands, and
Alderman J.W. Stainer.
Mr. B.H. Bonniface represented the owners of the house,
Messrs. A. Gardener and Co., and Mr. J.W.G. Moxham, the licensee.
Chief Inspector Pittock said the Mechanics Arms was a
fully licensed house in St. John`s Street. It had one public bar, which was
11ft. by 14ft. 11in., a private bar 5ft. 6in. by 7ft. 6in., and a bottle and
jug department 4ft 6in. by 6ft. The bar counter was 2ft. 2in. wide and ran the
whole length of the bars, being semi-circular in the public bar. The space
behind the bars was 12ft. by 5ft 6in. deep. There was a bar parlour, which was
approached by two steps, and it was 11ft. by 10ft. 6in., and there were no
means of egress or entrance from the public street. From the bar parlour there
was a passage leading to a club room. There were 17 steps down to the room,
which was on the slope. That was at the rear of the building. It was 28 ft. by
16ft. 6in. There was a public passage by the side, and there was an entrance to
the club room there, and eight steps led down in it. Inside the club room there
was a serving hatch in a door at the rear of the bar, and the refreshments
would have to be taken down eight steps. There was a kitchen in the basement
and a small scullery adjoining. The rent of the premises was £30 a year, and
the rateable value was £32. He had been in the Force for 26 years, and from his
experience the trade of the house had decreased enormously, and during the past
year the trade had dropped down considerably. From 1900 the licence had been
transferred four times, in 1920, 1926, 1934, and 1935. From April to December
18th visits were made to each house in the area, and the average
number of persons found on each occasion were: Mechanics Arms, 6; Honest
Lawyer, 19; and Harvey Hotel, 16. From January 17th to February 3rd,
12 visits were paid, the average number of persons being: Honest Lawyer, 17;
Mechanics Arms, 5; and Harvey Hotel, 10. From February 14th to March
5th, 14 visits were made to the following houses, the average being:
Mechanics Arms, 7; Harvey Hotel, 9; Star and Garter, 10; and Richmond Tavern,
12. The Honest Lawyer was within 100 yards of the Mechanics Arms; the Harvey
Hotel and two off-licences, the Bradstone and Mitre, were within 200 yards; and
the Star and Garter and Richmond Tavern were within 300 yards. That was
excluding entirely territory north of the railway. In his opinion there were
sufficient houses to meet the requirements of the neighbourhood if the
Mechanics Arms was found redundant.
The Clerk (Mr. C. Rootes): What is the reason for
suggesting the Mechanics Arms is redundant?
Chief Inspector Pittock: It is due to the fact that
very little trade seemed to be done over a long period.
There is no objection to the tenant? – No.
Mr. Bonniface: This house is really put up on the
suggestion of the Licensing Bench?
Chief Inspector Pittock: Yes.
Mr. Bonniface said the position was that the Chief
Constable, in his report to the Bench at the Licensing Sessions, said there
were not too many facilities for drinking in the summer months. Taking between
the railway line and the Dover Road there were only two on licensed premises,
the Mechanics Arms and the Honest Lawyer. One of those was a beerhouse and the
other fully licensed premises. To get to the nearest fully licensed premises
one had to cross Dover Road to the Harvey Hotel.
Cross-examined by Mr. Bonniface, Chief Inspector
Pittock agreed that since the new tenant had taken over in the last few weeks
there had been improved trade. He could hardly say whether it had increased
more than double. Since December the British Legion had made the Mechanics Arms
their headquarters, and he agreed the premises were actually very convenient considering
the way they were built. There was no objection to the structure of the house.
The club room had been done up from top to bottom.
Mr. Bonniface said that from 1900 to 1934 there were
only two tenants. When Mr. Stuart took over, he continued there for six months,
but had to give up owing to the health of his son. The present tenant had the
whole of his capital in the business.
The Chairman: If the new tenant came only just over a
month ago, was he a local man?
Chief Inspector Pittock: No, but he had been living
here for some time.
The Chairman remarked that trade did usually buck up
for a period when a new tenant came in.
Evidence was given by Mr. C.K. Lister, Managing
Director of Messrs. Gardener, the owners of the premises, that they purchased
it in 1913, when Mr. Johnny Lawrence was the tenant. The trade went down in
1920 until the tenant, Mr. Grant, left in 1934. Mr. Stuart left after six
months owing to his son`s health forcing him to leave Folkestone. The present
tenant took it over at the transfer sessions. His trade had gone up very
considerably, and speaking for the beer trade, it was nearly doubled. The
present tenant was a very satisfactory man and had the whole of his savings in
the business. Witness read out the number of barrels of beer supplied each year
for the last ten years: 1925, 280; 1926, 259; 1927, 260; 1928, 235; 1929, 234;
1930, 214; 1931, 183; 1932, 100; 1933, 96; 1934, 84.
Mr. Joseph William George Moxham, the tenant, said he
took over the premises on a protection order on January 22nd, and a
full transfer was granted at the annual general licensing sessions. During that
time he had sold 13½ barrels of beer, had sold 96 bottles of beer (half pints),
14 bottles of spirit, and six bottles of wine. He was the only licensed house
on that side of the railway line in that particular area. The British legion
used the club room all the week. He was positive trade was improving
considerably. The British Legion has a separate and good entrance for their
office work.
Mr. Bonniface said that a petition was got up by
persons in the neighbourhood protesting against the proposal to withdraw the
licence.
Mr. Albert E. Palmer, railway porter, 25, Mount
Pleasant Road, produced the petition signed by 87 inhabitants and customers who
used the house. The petition was started by a relative of witness who lived
opposite and who was unable through indisposition to bring it to the Court.
Witness said there was more letting done in the neighbourhood of St. John`s
Street in comparison with the whole of the town. He had used the house for 20
years and he had never found a landlord the same as the present one in trying
to encourage trade. The house looked better, and there was better attention to
the trade, which had improved enormously. At weekends they could not get inside
the house.
Mr. Bonniface said he suggested they should consider
what the Chief Constable himself said at the annual licensing sessions that
there were not too many licences in the town during the summer season and that
all licensees were doing badly during the winter season. They had, continued
Mr. Bonniface, considered that district had been combed during preceding years
and they had taken away from the district itself two of the four licences and
they had left two only. There could be no doubt that when they got a district
bounded as it was by the Dover Road, that was in itself a natural boundary for
the people on the other side. When they had 87 inhabitants in the district
saying they required that place, the only fully licensed house there was, the
only house at which they could get spirits as well as beer, he suggested they
should not refer it to the licensing authority to close the place, otherwise
they would have to obtain their supplies of whisky, etc., at the Harvey Hotel,
which had to be reached by crossing the dangerous Dover Road. They ought not to
impose on the inhabitants of that district that hardship or inconvenience.
The Magistrates decided to renew the licence.
Folkestone
Herald 16-3-1935
Adjourned Licensing Sessions
The Folkestone Licensing
Magistrates on Wednesday, at the adjourned annual Licensing Sessions, renewed
the licence of the Mechanics’ Arms, St. John’s
Street, which had been referred by the Justices at the annual sessions with a
view to considering whether it was redundant. Mr. B. H. Bonniface, of Messrs.
G. W. Haines, Folkestone, appeared for the licensee and brewers.
The application was heard
by Mr. R.G. Wood, Mr. J.H. Blarney, Dr. W. Nuttall, Alderman T.S. Franks,
Engineer Rear-Admiral L.J. Stephens, Alderman Mrs. E. Gore, Alderman J.W.
Stainer and Alderman W. Hollands.
Chief Inspector H.G.
Pittock said the Mechanics’ Arms was situated in St. John’s Street. It was a
fully licensed house. The frontage in St. John’s Street was 19ft. 6ins. with a
side frontage of 68ft. Witness gave evidence of the accommodation of the house. He stated that downstairs was a
club-room, which was at the rear of the building. It was almost an annexe.
The rent of the premises
was £30 a year and the rateable value £32. He had known the house during 26
years, and during the past 10 or 12 years the trade had decreased enormously.
During the past year the trade had dropped down very much indeed. The licence had been transferred
in 1900, 1920, 1926, 1934, and 1935 (at the last annual Licensing Sessions).
He put in a copy of visits
made to the Mechanics’ Arms, the Honest Lawyer, and the Harvey Hotel, from
April to December last. Eighteen visits were made to each house and the average number of customers
found in each house was: Mechanics’ Arms six, Honest Lawyer 19, and the Harvey Hotel 16. From January 17th to
February 12th 12 visits were made and the average number of
customers on those occasions was: Honest Lawyer 17, Mechanics’ Arms 5, Harvey Hotel
10. The Honest
Lawyer was a beer house, on and off.
From February 14th to March 15th he made 14 visits
to the Mechanics’ Arms, the Honest Lawyer, the Harvey Hotel, the Star and
Garter and the Richmond Tavern. The average number of customers was: Honest
Lawyer 16, Mechanics’ Arms 7, Harvev Hotel 9, Star and Garter 10, and the Richmond
Tavern 12. The Honest Lawyer was within 100 yards of the Mechanics’ Arms; the
Harvey Hotel, the Bradstone Tavern, and the Mitre, beer houses, were within 200
yards: and the Star and Garter and the Richmond Tavern within 300 yards.In his
opinion there were sufficient houses to supply that particular neighbourhood
if the Mechanics’ Arms was redundant.
The Clerk (Mr. C.
Rootes): What is J {be reason for
suggesting the Mechanics’ Arms is redundant? - Because so little trade is done
there.
Mr. Bonniface: This house
is really put up as redundant at the suggestion of the Licensing Bench, isn’t
it? - Yes.
You were present at the
annual Licensing Sessions when the Chief Constable staged that there were not
too many facilities for drinking in the summer months?
Inspector Pittock
said he was, but he understood that the Chief Constable was referring more particularly to the the number of houses at the
lower end of the town.
Mr. Bonniface: Between
the railway line and Dover Road there are only two licensed premises? - Yes.
And one is a beer house
and the other (the Mechanics’ Arms) a fully licensed house? - Yes.
In order to get to other
premises one has to cross Dover Road? - Yes.
Mr. Bonniface: Do you
agree that since the new tenant took over six weeks ago the trade of the house
has increased? - Yes. I found more customers there and the tenant showed me
figures.
Will you agree the trade
has doubled? - I cannot say that.
The Clerk: Since the new
tenant has come in the trade has increased? - Yes, definitely.
Mr. Bonniface: Do you
know that since December the British Legion has made this house their
headquarters? - Yes.
The Premises were very
convenient Premises? - Yes, except for some difficulty in getting about
downstairs.
And the premises have
recently been done up from top to bottom and are in excellent condition? - Yes.
Would vou agree with me
that from 1900 to 1920 there was only one tenant, Mr. Jobn Lawrence? - Yes.
Do you know that the
present tenant has put the whole of his capital into the business? - I don’t
know that.
The Chairman: Is the new
tenant a local man? - No. but he has been living here some time.
The Chief Constable (to
Inspector Pittock): What does one find usually when a new tenant comes in? –
Trade generally picks up for a while.
Mr. Bonniface then called
witnesses to support the renewal of the licence.
Walter Lester, managing
director of Gardeners’ Brewery, Ash, the owners of the premises since 1913, said
trade went down from 1926 until Mr. Grant (a former licensee) left in 1934. Mr.
Stewart then took over, but he had to leave because of his son’s health.
Since the present tenant
had taken Possession trade had gone up very considerably; it had been nearly
doubled. He was speaking of the beer trade; they did not supply the spirits. A
considerable amount of money was spent on doing up the premises before the
licensing sessions. The
present tenant was a very satisfactory man and all his savings were in the business.
Cross-examined, witness
said in 1925 the house did 280 barrels of beer; 1926, 259; 1927, 260; 1928,
235; 1929, 234; 1930, 214; 1931, 183; 1932, 100; 1933, 96; and 1934, 85. During the last six weeks 11½
barrels had been delivered as compared with 6½ for the corresponding period of
last year.
Joseoh William G. Moxon,
the licensee, said he took over the premises on January 22nd, when
be was granted a Protection Order. He had taken delivery of 13½ barrels in six
weeks, excluding bottled beers. In addition he had sold spirits and wines. The
British Legion used the clubroom all the week. He had all his capital in the
business, and he was positive the trade of the house was improving. He had
nothing to do with a petition which naa been prepared.
Albert Edward Palmer, of
25, Mount Pleasant Road, handed in a petition signed by 89 persons.
The petitioners,
describing themselves as residents of St. John’s Street, protested against the
proposed withdrawal of the licence. They added that the house was quietly and
well conducted.
Mr. Palmei said the
licensee had nothing to do with the petition. There was a lot of letting done
in the neighbourhood of St. John’s Street. He had used the house for over 20
years and he had never found a better licensee than Mr. Moxon. Customers got
better attention, and trade had improved enormously.
Mr. Palmer caused some laughter when he said he would like to ask
Inspector Pittock a question. He (Inspector Pittock) had given evidence of
visits he had made and the number of customers. On a recent Saturday evening
the house was so full that everybodv could not get in.
The Clerk referred to a
statement of visits prepared by Inspector Pittock showing that on a recent
Saturday night, the number of customers was 21.
Mr. Bonniface, addressing
the Magistrates, said in previous years they had taken away two of the four
licensed houses in that district and there were only two left. When they had some
78 of the inhabitants saying that they required the house he suggested they
should not refer the house, when their nearest supply would be the Harvey Hotel,
on the other side of Dover Road. It was not suggested that there they had a congested
area
The Magistrates retired.
On their return the Chairman said: After hearing the evidence with reference to
the new tenant and so forth the Licensing Justices have decided to renew the
licence.
Folkestone Express
10-6-1939
Local News
The Folkestone Justices on Friday granted a protection order
in respect to the transfer of the licence of the Mechanics Arms in St. John`s
Street, from the present tenant, Mr. Moxon, to Mr. James Roberts.
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