The Kettering Licensing Sessions, August 1900.

The Desborough Applications Refused.

 

A DESBOROUGH HOTEL

John Dodson, beer retailer, Station-road, Desboro', applied for a full licence.—Mr. C. W. Lane appeared for the applicant, and Mr. H. Simpson (Leicester) and Mr. Frank Newman opposed.

—Mr. Lane said the application was for a full licensed hotel. The population of Desborough at the present time was over 4,000, with a rateable value of £16,362. He should put in a memorial, signed by commercial travellers, expressing the great need there was for accommodation at Desborough. They did not ask for a drinking shop, but for adequate accommodation for gentlemen visiting the town. A new licence was not applied for, but merely an extension.

—Mr. Dorman, architect, put in the plans of the property.

—By Mr. Newman: There were six on-licences already in Desborough, the George being 306 yards away. He did not know if the George had stables.

—By Mr. Simpson: He could not call it a lack of accommodation if the George had stables for five or six horses. The proposed licence was the nearest to the new district.

—Mr. Dobson, the applicant, said he had kept the off licence, which it was proposed to enlarge, six years. Every day of the week people came in and asked for other liquors. He put in a memorial in support of the application.

—By Mr. Newman: He did not know the population of Desborough, but knew there were six full licensed and eight outdoor houses. The George had ample sleeping and stabling accommodation. He knew the Temperance Hotel, and knew travellers often went there for their meals. He did not think many travellers would stop in Desborough all night. He knew many public men had signed against his application. The house belonged to a brewery company.

—Mr. Simpson: Don't you think the George, with its commercial room, beds, stables, and plenty of land for enlargement, would meet the requirements of all travellers?

—Applicant: Well, perhaps it would. (Laughter.)

—Mr. Howse, Red Lion Inn, Rothwell, was called by Mr. Lane, who desired to put in letters received by witness, complaining of want of accommodation at Desboro', but Mr. Newman and Mr. Simpson objected.

—Mr. Newman (to witness): Does your house belong to the same company as the applicants?

—Witness: Yes.

Mr. Joseph Cheaney, shoe manufacturer, Desborough, was then called and put in a memorial, signed by commercial travellers and other visitors to Desborough.

—Mr. Newman: Did you sell a portion of this land to the applicant?

—Witness: A small portion.

—Mr. Newman: And so one good turn deserves another? (Laughter.)

—Mr. Simpson (to witness): You say you have only sold a small portion. Have you not sold your factory?

—Witness: Well, yes.

—Mr. Simpson: And you call that a small portion, do you? (No answer.)

—Mr. Simpson: Have you been paid for it yet?

—Yes.

—Mr. Simpson: So you are all right at any rate.

—Mr. Cheaney was leaving the witness-box, when Mr. Simpson exclaimed, Will you kindly wait till I have finished with you, Mr. Cheaney. You seem anxious to get away. I take it you are here to support this application?

—Witness: No.

—Then do you oppose it?

—No, I don't support it and I don't oppose it.

—Mr. Simpson: And yet you went round and got signatures in favour of it!

—Witness: I did not.

—Mr. Simpson: Then how can you swear to the signatures?

—Mr Cheaney said his son had seen all the signatures.

—Mr. Simpson demanded that if that was so the petition ought to be withdrawn, but Mr Lane objected to Mr. Cheaney being branded in this way.

—Mr. Simpson: Are you prepared to swear that every signature is in the person's handwriting?

—No.

—Mr. Simpson: What are you here for then? (No answer.)

—Mr. Newman then called Mr. J. R. Moore, Desborough, who said he was a member of the Urban Council and School Board and a director of the Temperance Hotel. The present licences fully met the requirements of the place. The Temperance Hotel both had commercial rooms and bedrooms, and meals were provided every day. There was splendid stable accommodation at the George Hotel. He handed in a memorial signed by nine out of twelve of the Urban Council (the Chairman not being approached), four out of seven of the School Board, three of the overseers, and three of the principal manufacturers. The premises of Messrs. Symington and Co., who employed a large number of girls, adjoined the proposed site of the hotel, and they strongly opposed. Witness had met many travellers, but had never heard of complaints of the accommodation at Desborough.

Benjamin Toone, a member of the firm of Toone and Black, shoe manufacturers, stated that they employed 230 workpeople at present. He came from Wigston to Desborough every day, and he had no difficulty in meeting his wants in the town. He thought the present accommodation gave satisfaction, and there was no need of the hotel.

—Charles Feakin was called by the opposition, but the Bench stopped the evidence. The Chairman remarked that fortunately they had on the Bench a gentleman from Desborough who thoroughly confirmed their view with regard to the application and they did not think they would be justified in granting it.

 

ANOTHER DESBOROUGH APPLICAITON REFUSED.

Richard Henry Betts, of Union-street, Desborough, applied for the transfer of an outdoor licence.

—Mr. C. C. Becke appeared for the applicant, and Mr. F. Newman opposed.

—Mr. Becke said that no doubt there were enough licensed houses in the town, but there were too many in one place and too few in another, and that was where the applicant desired to have his transferred to.

—Applicant said there were several licensed houses close to his present licence.

—By Mr. Newman: There had been three previous applications for this licence. He was in the same street as the Co-operative Stores, who held a licence. Two houses had been occupied in the year in the locality. His present licence was in the midst of a lot of licensed premises. He sold sweets at the shop.

—Mr. W. T. Pearson put in a plan showing that 29 additional houses had been erected in the district during the last year, whilst plans had been passed for 14 more.

—Cross-examined: Some of the houses in the course of erection belonged to the Co-operative Society. There was vacant land all round the house.

—Mr. Newman said there was nothing before the justices that was not within their knowledge last year, when they refused the licence. Only two houses had been erected since the last application was made. On the estate referred to there were ninety per cent. Co-operators, who would most likely deal at their own stores. He was not there to make a bargain. If a licence was not required for the house in High-street that would be for the Bench to deal with as they thought best. Taking 4,000 as the basis of the population in Desborough, there was one for every 200 of the inhabitants.

—Charles Feakin, an owner and occupier of a house in the locality, presented a petition from the owners and occupiers in the immediate vicinity. Nine our of the eleven of the members of the Urban Council had signed, and three out of four of the overseers. Only two houses had been erected in the vicinity since last year.

—Mr Newman was on the point of calling another witness, when the Chairman said the Bench could come to a decision, and the application would be refused.

 

Northants Evening Telegraph, Thursday 30 August 1900