Rotherham pub bosses say premises will be “re-established as part of community” after allegations of “drug transactions” and anti-social behaviour from residents

The Joker pub in Bramley has been closed since September, and bosses told a licensing meeting at Rotherham Council today that they have agreed to a raft of conditions following complaints from residents.

Resident Mr GreavesGreaves told the meeting that the noise from the pub had been “horrendous”, and alleged that drug dealing and anti social behaviour had taken place at the premises in the last two to three years.

“It’s just got so bad now, you can’t look out my window without seeing somebody drug dealing on the car park,” added Mr GreavesGreaves.

“I can’t sit in my front room at the weekend without listening to bang bang thump thump music.

“We are not killjoys, people are entitled to a quiet life and that’s all we’re asking for.

“i just want to be able to sit in my home at a weekend and not be disturbed.”

Hi wife Mrs Greaves added that her mental health had been affected by the disturbance, and that the last two years have been “unbearable.”

Mrs Greaves told the meeting: “I have become anxious, it is affecting my mental health.

“In principle, I have no objection to that pub – we went for years and years, we never had a problem with it.

“The last two years have been unbearable. Children are left to roam about unsupervised – your heart’s in your mouth because there’s toddlers with their little bikes going in the road.

“We’ve had quad bikes, and then of course the drug dealing.

“I just do not believe that one landlord and his wife can stop those drug dealers.”

Richard Taylor, solicitor representing the licence holder told the meeting that South Yorkshire Police and the council’s licensing department had agreed to 29 conditions to be imposed on the license – including a reduction in opening hours on Friday and Saturday nights.

Mr Taylor added: “What appears to have happened is that there has just been poor management.”

He told the meeting that the pub’s previous tenant who operated the premises had left, and the operating company decided to not reopen The Joker until issues were resolved.

Mr Taylor added that a noise limiting device would be installed to regulate volume inside the pub, as well as CCTV, age verification, drug awareness training, and bollards and lighting in the car park.

Mr Taylor added that a pontential new landlord, Steve Scholey, had been identified, and that Mr Scholey has a “proven track record” of 10 years in the trade.

“His plan is to re establish The Joker as as part of the community. He wants to put food back into the pub.

“The experts in issues of licensing, of noise nuisance, have not lodged representations to this.

“There are concerns, they need addressing and we want to do what we can.

“We are confident that with the changes that we arranged already with police and with licensing and a reduction in hours, we can work together to ensure that here are no problems moving forward.”

The licensing sub-committee withdrew to make its decision in private.