A NEWLY refurbished pub has kept its licence to operate after neighbours complained about disorder and drug taking outside the premises.

The Goat’s Gate Inn, on Radcliffe New Road, Whitefield, was the subject of a licensing review by Bury Council after submissions from neighbours.

An application for the review of the licence was brought forward by Tom Postlethwaite, from Dales Lane, whose property is close to the pub.

He submitted to the licensing panel a catalogue of complaints about alleged activity at the Goat’s Gate, which is run by the Joseph Holt brewery and was extensively revamped last year.

In his submission to the panel, Mr Postlethwaite, said: “Since February 2017 the pub has been a regular source of  nuisance, criminal behaviour and behaviour that undermines public safety.

“We have collated 28 incidents  where the objectives of the 2003 licensing act were not upheld.

“We have engaged reasonably at all times and tried to work with the relevant stakeholders to provide us with solutions.

“Every time both the licensee and the brewery have failed us.”

Mr Postlethwaite said that the most serious incident occurred on July 4 this year when he alleged he witnessed ‘customers taking drugs directly outside our house’ and a large melee of up to 30 people in the car park,’ swearing, squaring up and fighting’.

On the same date he said he witnessed a Goat’s Gate customer ‘repeatedly and deliberately try to run down another customer in their car’.

Anthony Horne, representing Holts, said: “It’s clear that in this case something needs to be done about the premises.”

He called for an ‘appropriate and proportionate response to address the concerns’.

He pointed out that no calls for revocation of the licence at the Goat’s Gate had been made by the police, the council or trading standards.

He said: “If the police had any real concerns they would have put in a submission.”

The licensing panel decided not to revoke the pub’s licence but impose 21 restrictions on it.

They include recordable CCTV coverage at at all entries and exits to the premises.

The pub must also operate a zero tolerance drugs policy and its staff must monitor the external area of the premises and carry out a walk round the area every 30 minutes from 9pm until close. The door located on Dales Lane will now  also be used as a fire exit only.