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Council-owned bar misses licence deadline

NOT A DROP TO DRINK: John Hodges misses out on a pint

Cheadle Hulme Recreation Centre, on Woods Lane, has been forced to stop selling alcohol because it did not secure a licence before the deadline of November 24.

John Hodges, who plays badminton at the council’s centre with his wife and friends every Sunday, said they went for an after game drink but found a sign on the door stating there would be no booze ‘until further notice’.

"This is a ridiculous situation. The bar has been there since the 1970s at least and is well used," complained John, 70, of Councillor Lane, Cheadle.

"It’s not that we want to drink large quantities of alcohol but we like to sit down, relax and have a chat after our game," he explained.

Disappointment

"There was no warning and it caused quite a bit of disappointment. I heard four sets of people complain and two even cancelled their booking.

"I’m wondering if they just forgot to get a new licence."

Stockport Sports Trust lease the centre from, and run it on behalf of, Stockport Council.

A Stockport Council spokesman confirmed it was the Trust’s responsibility to have secured the necessary licence.

All the borough’s bars, pubs and clubs had to apply for a new licence by last month as part of the switch in responsibility for this area from magistrates to the council.

John Howarth, general manager of Stockport Sports Trust, said the bar was expected to sell alcohol again within four weeks.

He added: "We got our application in but we missed the deadline. It got tangled up in the new application process so we haven’t got a licence."

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