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By ROISIN GADELRAB
 
Town Hall hit in licensing blunder

A TOWN Hall licensing blunder was uncovered this week – after a Primrose Hill pub took Camden Council to court over a failed license application.
The Prince Albert pub in Princess Road had been refused a license extension in September and was asking magistrates to reconsider its bid to stay open until midnight at the weekends and 11.30pm during the week.
But when papers arrived at the hearing, landlord Lindsay Campbell discovered paper work had been incorrectly filled in – and he had already been granted the hours he originally wanted, even though a licensing panel made up of councillors had told him it was a non-starter.
Mr Campbell said he believed the bungle meant he had been given someone else’s license. He said: “It was a mistake in our favour.”
Mr Campbell has meanwhile guaranteed to stick to his original hours.
He said: “Although we legally can open later we’re going to continue to trade as we have.”
Barrister Ernest James, who represented objectors at September’s hearing said: “Camden is only now issuing licences dating back to September. If they had issued it on time this could have been done properly. My professional opinion is that Camden has to issue a new licence.”
The council offered to change the papers but magistrates instead sent the matter back to the licensing panel for a full hearing – which could mean a year has passed since the original hearings. Because of council elections and holidays, it could take until September for the matter to be solved.
A council spokesman said: “We get a lot of licensing applications. We will deal with this as quickly as possible.”
The court ordered the Town Hall to pay £750 in costs.
 
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