Police were called to Bexhill bar 110 times in 18 months

Sussex Police submitted an application to Rother District Council to review the licence of The Devonshire Bar and Lounge in Devonshire Square due to concerns around levels of crime at the venue.

Since January 1, 2019, police have received 110 calls relating to incidents at the bar and recorded 51 incidents including violent crime and sexual offences.

On Friday (November 20), Rother District Council’s licensing panel published a decision notice which said The Devonshire Bar and Lounge could keep its licence and reopen in March next year.

After deliberation, the panel agreed a number of changes to the bar’s licence. Rother District Council agreed to limit the venue’s sale of alcohol to midnight Sunday to Thursday, and to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. The bar will also introduce a last entry condition, meaning no new customers would be allowed to enter the premises after 11.30pm Sunday to Thursday, and after 12.30am Friday and Saturday.

A number of other conditions were added to the licence, including for appropriate CCTV equipment to be installed, an absolute zero tolerance policy towards drugs and drugs misuse, and regular patrols of the customer trading areas, smoking area and toilets to ensure customer behaviour is not in breach of the law.

Sussex Police also requested a change in management at the venue, and for the bar to close for at least eight weeks while the changes are embedded. The premises licence holder voluntarily dismissed the previous management and temporarily closed the venue prior to the review hearing.

Inspector Olivia Carroll, of the Hastings and Rother Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We submitted the application due to serious concerns over continued disorder, assaults and ongoing drug use within the premises.

“This has been ongoing for a number of years and despite raising our concerns with the premises licence holder, no improvements have been seen. We felt there was no other proportionate course of action other than a review of the premises licence.”

Sussex Police’s application was supported by evidence including a number of visits to the bar where drug swab results showed high levels of cocaine use.

The most recent swabs were taken in September 2020 and despite enhanced cleaning due to coronavirus, high levels of cocaine were still found in numerous areas.

Police also provided evidence of the 110 calls received relating to The Devonshire and the 51 recorded incidents including violent crime and sexual offences.

Inspector Carroll added: “We would always prefer for premises licence holders to work with us to identify and address any issues, and we will always look to support them with this. However, in the instances where this has not happened, we will take necessary and proportionate action.

“When there is continued crime and disorder associated with a venue, it has a significant impact on people in the area and on police resources. It’s important for us to address these issues in the interests of public safety and for the quality of life of people in our community.”