Pool and snooker club where traces of cocaine found in toilets has licence revoked

A pool and snooker club where a “strong presence” of cocaine was found in the toilets has had its licence revoked. Police said there had been a “blatant disregard” for following the rules at Huntingdon Pool and Snooker Club, based in St Benedict's Court, which they said had “negatively impacted on crime disorder and public safety”.

Those previously responsible for the club said they would be selling it to new owners, who asked to be given a chance to turn the venue around. However, Huntingdonshire District Council said it was not convinced that the “many” issues would be addressed and decided to revoke the club’s licence.

A review of the pool and snooker club’s licence had been requested by the licensing department at the district council. At a meeting of the licensing sub-committee this week (November 12) William Dell’Orefice, a licensing officer, listed a number of the licence conditions that had been breached, including not having the correct CCTV, and not being able to provide important documentation at an inspection.

READ MORE: Families lose fight against new shop's plan to sell alcohol 18 hours a day

READ MORE: Woman left 'in bits' as she leaves car minutes before it bursts into flames on the A14

PC Clare Metcalf, licensing officer at Cambridgeshire Constabulary, told the hearing that there had been “ongoing concerns” about the running of the club, which she said had “failed to promote the licensing objectives” and had led to “crime and disorder in and around the premises.

She explained that there had been previous attempts to work with the club to “reduce crime associated with the premises”, but said these had all been unsuccessful “with bad practises soon returning”. PC Metcalf went on to list some of the offences reported associated with the premises including grievous bodily harm (GBH), actual bodily harm (ABH), common assault, drug offences of both supply and possession, criminal damage, and sexual assault.

At an inspection of the club in September PC Metcalf said a “strong presence” of cocaine was found in wipe tests in the male toilets, with traces found in the female toilets. She added that there were also traces found on a table in the bar area. PC Metcalf said there had been a “blatant disregard” for the licensing objectives that had “negatively impacted on crime disorder and public safety”.

Trudie Spinks, an environmental health officer, said she had found health and safety issues at an inspection she conducted, including a lack of hot water in the bar area and toilets. At the time of the concerns being raised the licence holder was Pavlos Kounnis, who took over responsibility for the licence and the pool and snooker club after his father passed away in June 2020.

Leo Charalambides, a representative of Mr Kounnis, told councillors at the hearing that Mr Kounnis agreed with the licensing officer who had raised concerns. He said the licence had been transferred to a third party, Mr Ulas, who planned to refurbish and run the club with his business partner.

Mr Charalambides said Mr Kounnis ran a number of successful bars and hotels elsewhere, but admitted he had overstretched himself when it came to running the Huntingdon Pool and Snooker Club. He said Mr Kounnis had held on to the club which he had inherited from his late father for sentimental reasons, but now agreed new management was needed to meet the requirements of the venue.

He explained to the hearing that there would be a “complete break” between Mr Kounnis and the new licence holder running the business. Mr Charalambides said the new licence holder had “extensive experience” running similar businesses in London. He said they planned to bring in new snooker tables, as well as shuffle boards, darts, and table tennis to “fill the place with equipment so it becomes a genuine snooker and pool bar”.

Mr Charalambides said Mr Kounnis had “taken the most draconian steps” by removing himself from the business and asked for the new licence holders to be given a chance to run the venue. The licensing officer and police said they still had concerns and said they wanted to know more about the experience of the new licence holder and what changes they proposed at the club.

An agreement was reached to call the new licence holder and his business partner as a witness to explain their plans to the sub-committee. Mr Ulas said he and his business partner had taken over pool and snooker clubs in London that had been in a similar situation facing concerns from police. He said they had invested thousands and turned the venues around and now proposed to do the same in Huntingdon.

Mr Ulas explained that they planned to completely refurbish the club and would be at the venue regularly to check things are being run correctly. Tacim Yavuz, the business partner, said they would fix the physical issues with the venue identified by the authorities. He added that they planned to operate a membership scheme for the club in order to prevent problem customers from being able to come back. He said: “Give us a chance, let us deal with it and come see with your own eyes.”

The sub-committee ultimately decided to revoke the licence as it said it was not persuaded that transferring the licence to new people alone would be enough to deal with all of the issues. They said it was “abundantly clear” that the former licence holder, the designated premises supervisor and staff at the venue had undermined all of the licensing objectives, including the need to prevent crime and disorder.

The sub-committee said action was needed and that revoking the licence was the only way forward. The decision notice said: “In relation to the current premises licence holder, the sub-committee was not persuaded that they would promote the licensing objectives and were concerned that a proper exanimation of their suitability could not be undertaken within the confines of the review hearing.

“The sub-committee felt that, on balance, the correct approach for the current premises licence holder to take in respect of this premises is to make an application for a premises licence under their own steam rather than to seek to salvage the existing premises licence. This would allow a thorough examination of their credentials, other operations, and a consideration of an application and operating schedule germane to their proposed running of the business.”

The decision to revoke the licence can be appealed through the Magistrates Court, but an appeal would need to be lodged within 21 days of the decision to revoke the licence being made.