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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 13 June 2008

Objectors, from left, Gerry Sproston, Minki Janse van Rensburg, James Anderson and Liz Thornton

Hostel in historic courthouse loses all-night drinks bid

A MAGISTRATES' court-turned-youth hostel was refused a 24-hour licence to sell booze this week amid fears for the safety of under-age guests.
As neighbours welcomed the decision by an Islington licensing committee on Monday, representatives from the 300-bed Clink hostel warned they would re-apply for the drinks licence.
The Clink – formerly Clerkenwell magistrates’ court – was seeking permission for an all-night bar and dancing.
But the licensing committee turned down the application from the King’s Cross Road hostel, which also calls itself the Court House Hotel, on the grounds that insufficient detail about security and child protection had been provided.
Lib Dem chairwoman Councillor Tracy Ismail said: “There is no indication which members of the public would be invited into the hotel and when they would leave. If I was a parent with a child sleeping at the hotel I’d be very unhappy with this arrangement.”
The hostel was described as catering for large groups of young people under 18, including schools and youth clubs, but also single backpackers up to the age of about 35.
Residents in nearby Percy Circus complained that they had already to put up with noise and disturbance.
Residents’ conservation group the Amwell Society warned that granting an alcohol licence would undo much of the work being done to rid the area of sleaze.
Retired Reuters journalist James Anderson said he had been forced to shield his windows because of “peeping tom” teenagers from the hostel “gawping” at the back of his home.
He added: “Since the hotel opened we have been disturbed by rowdy behaviour, including teenagers shouting at each other from windows.”
Mr Anderson said the “most pernicious” aspect of the application was the plan to have a 24-hour bar.
He said: “The area around King’s Cross already contains some dreadful riff-raff. One can hardly think of a better way to put vulnerable young people at risk than to invite such people into a building where youngsters both party and sleep.
“How long would it be before some creep enticed a teenager into an upstairs corridor and police found themselves investigating a sexual assault or worse.”
Another resident, Minki Janse van Rensburg, believed that making alcohol available for young people round the clock was “extremely irresponsible”.
She added: “It seems a backward step in the light of all the work that has been done to clean up the area.”
Police offered no objections to the application provided CCTV was installed and the council’s noise team had no concerns.
Ivan Dorgan, for the hostel, said staff were well trained to deal with security issues or any on-the-spot irregularities.
He added: “We are not planning a large nightclub, merely a nice place for guests and members of the public to relax in good surroundings and have a drink. It goes without saying under-age guests would not be served with alcohol. The hotel bar will be very well managed.”

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