A Shrewsbury hotel has been permanently stripped of its alcohol licence after police said it "failed to protect the public." Tumbledown Hotel, run by Shropshire Beers Ltd, lost its licence following a Shropshire Council Licensing Sub-Committee decision in July 2025. The hotel appealed, but on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, Telford Magistrates Court upheld the original revocation.
Underage Sales and Lack of Safeguarding
West Mercia Police presented evidence that alcohol was sold to customers under 18, staff were inadequately trained, and the premises lacked proper safeguarding measures to protect vulnerable people. The court heard that between July 2025 and June 2026, the company failed to improve in any of the areas that led to the initial revocation.
Court Upholds Revocation
A police spokesperson said: "Working with the council, West Mercia Police officers made a case for Shropshire Beers Ltd, which was heard at Telford Magistrates Court, about how the company failed to comply with the conditions of its licence, including properly training staff and lacking prevention of crime and disorder, and public safety." The decision means the hotel can remain open but cannot sell alcohol.
Strong Warning from Police
PC Steve Mellor, Shropshire’s licensing officer, said: "The failings identified at this premises were wholly unacceptable and demonstrated a sustained disregard for the responsibilities that come with holding a premises licence. The sale of alcohol to underage individuals, inadequate staff training, failures in safeguarding vulnerable people, and the breach of licence conditions raised serious concerns for public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder." He added: "Despite being given opportunities to address these issues, the company failed to make the necessary improvements. Businesses that are licensed to sell alcohol have a legal and moral duty to protect their customers and the wider community, and in this case those standards were simply not met."
Message to License Holders
PC Mellor concluded: "We welcome the court’s decision to uphold the revocation of the licence. This outcome sends a clear message that persistent failures of this nature will not be tolerated, and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure licensed premises operate responsibly and safely across Shropshire."
