Pub manager blames Fenland Council for failure to ‘communicate properly’ as police press for review of Coachmakers Arms licence

Coachmakers Arms, March. Picture: Steve Williams. (Image: Archant)

PC Phil Richardson, the licensing officer for Fenland, says the pub has been in breach of various licensing laws since it re-opened and there have been numerous complaints of noise as well as crime and disorder.

PC Richardson claims licensee Stephen Knott “appears to have no control over the pub and is not contactable” and he alleged the man running the business on his behalf “has been obstructive” in trying to get it to conform to licensing requirements.

He says the designated premises supervisor Jonathan Davies and his boss “have little or no regard to neither the community nor the licensing laws”.

But Mr Davies insists that in the year he’s been running the pub he has “stabilised and corrected its management”.

And he says the most serious incidents contained in the police statement concern matters where the involvement of the Coachmakers was only in a “good Samaritan” role.

He said: “The so called ‘chaotic situation’ with regard to the premises license is due to the failure of Fenland Council licensing to communicate properly. Do they insist upon writing personally to Mr Martin, founder of the Weatherspoon’s chain concerning the local Weatherspoon’s establishments, or do they write to the local manager?

“Unfortunately these matters have parallels in the past. The deliberate distortion of the truth by the police service is unacceptable.” He added: “The Coachmakers is a friendly pub and welcomes ‘happy drinkers’.’’