A JUDGE decided that it s too late for Jonathan Davies and Jacqueline Noot to appeal against tough safety conditions imposed on their Wisbech hotel. Their bid to halt a raft of restrictions for the Rose and Crown Hotel was rejected by District Judge Ken S

A JUDGE decided that it's too late for Jonathan Davies and Jacqueline Noot to appeal against tough safety conditions imposed on their Wisbech hotel.

Their bid to halt a raft of restrictions for the Rose and Crown Hotel was rejected by District Judge Ken Sheraton sitting at Fenland magistrates today.

Coincidentally just 24 hours earlier the Rose and Crown had offered a much happier moment for the partners as the hotel hosted the annual Rising of the Court luncheon attended by His Honour Judge Hawkesworth.

Today, however, the couple found little sympathy from Judge Sheraton who was asked to lift the conditions imposed by Fenland Council Licensing Committee last year.

Committee chairman Councillor Michael Humphrey had criticised the couple for being driven "by financial return with little or no regard to public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder."

Today Judge Sheraton ruled that Mr Davies and Ms Noot failed to submit the appeal on time and must go ahead with CCTV, new fire doors, and two security guards working on each entrance after midnight.

If their notice of appeal had been made in time, the hotel could have continued to operate under old conditions, until the full appeal was heard.

Mr Davies told the judge he felt the hearing "was biased against us, the whole thing was pre-determined. We thought the magistrates would be more impartial than the councillors.

"There is no reason why we would not have appealed in time; it only takes five minutes to write it out. In the interests of justice, this appeal should go ahead."

n Town Mayor Jonathan Farmer was among the guest list at Monday's luncheon that also included the High Sheriff, Lord Lieutenant and other civic guests.

Canap�s, lamb steaks with port wine jus, and warm lemon meringue pie was washed down with a 2005 Chardonnay and a 2004 Ch�teau Meaume.

The luncheon commemorates a time gone past when Wisbech maintained its quarter sessions until they were replaced in 1971 by the present crown courts.