It has been a year of significant challenges for the committee responsible for overseeing alcohol and late-night licences in Wolverhampton. The city's licensing panel has been kept exceptionally busy, handling a series of serious incidents and reviews concerning venues accused of breaching regulations and endangering public safety.
A Catalogue of Licensing Failures
The past twelve months have seen the City of Wolverhampton Council's licensing committee forced to take decisive action against numerous establishments. Councillors have heard shocking accounts of alleged criminal activity, including kidnappings, street brawls, and the sale of illegal goods, alongside what were described as "absurd" defences from licence holders.
One of the most severe cases involved the Triangle Bar and Grill on Bank Street in Bradley. The council stripped the venue of its licence following police investigations into two serious December incidents. One was an alleged kidnapping, while the other involved fighting so intense it resulted in the venue's glass entrance being smashed. A council inspection also found the bar had failed basic safety measures and had employed an illegal worker in 2023.
In a separate but equally concerning case, the Rocket Pools Inn, also in Bradley, lost its licence after crucial CCTV footage vanished. The council had requested video of a reported 4am 'lock-in' from November. Just two days after officials asked for a copy, the pub's owner claimed the hard drive containing the footage had been stolen in a break-in. The committee found the owners had persistently breached their licence conditions.
Underage Sales and Illegal Goods
The committee also tackled issues of illegal sales head-on. Wood End Wines in Wednesfield was hit with a 31-day suspension after it sold alcohol to a 14-year-old child during an undercover Trading Standards operation in November. Officials stated the sale was made without any challenge to the child's age.
Meanwhile, Bobbies News and Off Licence in Heath Town was stripped of its licence entirely after being caught selling illegal cigarettes and vapes, along with alcohol without permission. The committee rejected the shop owner's defence that duty-free cigarettes found on display were for personal use, labelling the argument "absurd."
Breaches, Brawls and Noise Complaints
Other venues faced sanctions for a range of violations. De Fusion Bar and Restaurant in the city centre had its licence suspended for two weeks. It was found to have served alcohol after hours and breached specific match-day conditions for a Wolverhampton Wanderers game by not using door staff and serving drinks in glass instead of plastic.
Poor management was blamed for a brutal assault at the New Gate Inn in Bilston, leading to a one-month licence suspension. The attack left a man with a suspected fractured skull, a deep head wound, two black eyes, and a broken nose. The committee heard the licence holder had failed to notify the council of staff changes for 17 years.
Noise and repeated after-hours trading were at the heart of issues with Chill Wine Bar in Tettenhall. Run by ex-footballer Mo Camara, the bar had its licence suspended in 2024 for lock-ins and is under investigation again for similar offences in September this year. A request to extend opening hours was rejected over noise concerns.
A Fresh Start and Ongoing Scrutiny
Not all news was punitive. The Pendulum in Pendeford was allowed to reopen under a new owner in August after being granted a new alcohol licence. Its previous licence had been revoked in 2022 after West Midlands Police accused it of being a "hub for criminal activity and base for human trafficking," following an earlier revocation for breaking Covid lockdown rules.
The series of hearings throughout the year underscores the rigorous work of Wolverhampton's licensing committee in its remit to ensure public safety and prevent crime and disorder. With nearly a thousand licences in the city, the panel's busy year highlights the ongoing battle to maintain standards and hold venues accountable for their operations.
