The licensing hearing was called after council officers found breaches when investigating the pub
The Pig on the Wall pub, Droylsden(Image: Manchester Evening News)
A pub in Droylsden which has been a ‘nightmare neighbour’ for one resident has avoided losing its booze licence.
A crunch meeting was held in Tameside Council HQ after punters of The Pig on the Wall were seen fighting and one couple was spotted ‘engaged in sexual activity in the beer garden’, over the course of a few days in June.
A neighbour to the Greenside Lane venue compiled a long list of complaints between June 10 and June 15 – all related to excessive noise and disturbance.
Deborah Richardson, appearing at the licence review hearing on August 11, said: “The noise and the behaviour of the pub’s patrons has become intolerable.
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“I have had pub goers knock on my door. People have accessed my garden by lifting up the fence panel.
“The pub behaviour has worsened year after year.”
Mrs Richardson told the panel she had tried to resolve the matter with the pub but felt she had no other option than to contact the council and request a licence review hearing.
In the days leading up to the hearing, she claimed to have received a ‘character assassination’ both on social media and in person due to her complaint.
The Pig on the Wall pub, Droylsden(Image: Manchester Evening News)
In her letter requesting a licence review, speaking on the events of Wednesday, June 11, she had said: “The beer garden was particularly busy due to the weather.
“One group was extremely loud and disruptive throughout the evening.
“At no point were they asked to move inside, and the noise continued until approximately 10.30pm.
“Around 11pm, a male and female from the same group returned to the beer garden and had a loud, aggressive argument, which escalated further. Disturbingly, the same couple were then seen engaging in sexual activity in the beer garden.”
Upon receiving the complaint letter, licensing officers Loni Davies and James Horton carried out a visit at Pig on the Wall on June 20.
During the visit the incident book was not available to view, it was noted that the CCTV was only recording for 12 days – not the required 28 days – and the CCTV cameras were of poor quality, the meeting heard.
Outside the Tameside One building, Tameside council’s HQ(Image: LDRS)
Greater Manchester Police’s representative at the hearing, PC Craig Foley, shared his concerns that the CCTV footage was not readily available when looking into a serious crime back in May.
Representatives from Star Pubs, who operate The Pig on the Wall, told the panel how they have already made improvements to the CCTV so it is properly recorded and can do so for the required 28 days. They also offered to look into getting better quality image cameras.
Dean Booth, designated premises supervisor (DPS) and director of The Pig on the Wall, also agreed to step down as DPS in favour of a new manager. This was due to him not regularly being present at the venue as he oversees three other establishments in the chain.
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Solicitor George Domleo, representing Star Pubs at the hearing, apologised to Mrs Richardson for the history of disturbances. She has been complaining about disturbances since 2021, the panel was told.
Mr Domleo also offered the council a string of changes to the alcohol licence in order to prevent future issues.
These condition changes included no outdoor entertainment; customers won’t be able to drink outside past 9pm; staff shall regularly monitor customers drinking outside; a record of complaints will be kept; and a dedicated number for local residents to contact managements will be offered out.
Mr Domleo added: “It’s about achieving a balance.
“The pub doesn’t want to cause upset and they want neighbours locally to enjoy what is on offer.”
A letter from Dean Booth, director of The Pig on the Wall, in response to the complaints, read: “We believe that a public house should be more than just a commercial entity; it should be a cornerstone of the community it serves. At The Pig on the Wall, we have embedded this principle into our operational ethos.
“Our primary goal is not only to be a successful and responsibly managed venue but also to act as a vital hub that supports local residents, charities, and initiatives.”
The licensing panel, chaired by Coun Helen Bowden, agreed to impose the conditions offered by Star Pubs and remove the current DPS.
The meeting in the Tameside One building heard that licensing hours would not be reduced and revoking the licence completely would be too severe a punishment.
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