Worthing bar has licence revoked after child drank alcohol and suffered 'life threatening injuries'

Vault – a late-night basement bar in Marine Parade – had its premises licence revoked by Worthing Borough Council earlier this month after serious concerns were raised by Sussex Police.

In one reported incident, a 17-year-old child ‘received life threatening injuries’ in a fight after ‘drinking excessive alcohol at this premise’, according to an official council document. This was described as ‘particularly disturbing’.

It was concluded that there had been ‘multiple serious breaches of licence’ which had a ‘huge impact’ on crime and disorder and the protection of children from harm.

Following a meeting, the council’s sub-committee came to the decision that the licence holder – La Room Worthing Ltd – should have its premises licence revoked.

The company told this newspaper that it will be ‘appealing this decision’.

A spokesperson for Vault said: “The situation is in the hands of solicitors. The decision by the sub committee we believe is unfair and unjust.

“The incidents in question happened over a year ago and since then we have put new procedures in place including a state of the art scanner system.

“We have had no incidents for many months and take pride in the care of customers.”

Vault, which has an ‘extensive wine and cocktail list’, previously had permission to sell alcohol between 12pm and 3am the following morning – Monday to Sunday – as well the provision of recorded music indoors between 12pm 3.30am, seven days a week.

However, Sussex Police submitted an application, requesting that the council’s licensing authority considered ‘the revocation of the licence’.

According to the council document, the grounds for the review – under section 51 of the Licensing Act 2003 – were that the licence holder and designated premises supervisor had allegedly ‘undermined’ the following licensing objectives: ‘The prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and the protection of children from harm’.

The document read: “The sub-committee determined that the concerns raised by Sussex Police related to various breaches of licence conditions, failure to provide CCTV to assist the police in their investigations, that persons under 18 years old had been allowed in the premises and served alcohol and that the Challenge 25 Policy was not being properly utilised.

"Evidence was provided regarding these breaches and that they had occurred more than once.

“The committee accepted the evidence before them that of the 13 incidents they were asked to consider three of them concerned persons under the age of 18 being in the premises and/or drinking.

“One incident was particularly disturbing of a child of only 17 who received life threatening injuries in a fight after drinking excessive alcohol at this premise.”

The committee recognised that Sussex Police had used a ‘stepped approach’ with the premises and given guidance and support.

The council file added: “Sussex Police had worked with the premises and increased the licencing conditions in an attempt to stop the undermining of the licensing objectives. Evidence was before the committee of the advice that had been provided by Sussex Police and the failure of the stepped approach which had led to the review.

“The committee was satisfied that there had been multiple serious breaches of licence which had a huge impact on crime and disorder and the protection of children from harm and therefore to take no action was not an option for the committee or, in light of the comments from Sussex Police, to modify the conditions.

“The committee felt that the irresponsible trading of this premise needs to be stopped, and any other measure would be insufficient. This needs to serve as a deterrent to other business that breaches of licence conditions and repeated undermining of the licensing objectives will not be tolerated.

“It was therefore considered just, proportionate and necessary to revoke the premise licence.”