Leney gets compensation for license withdrawal (1917)

Post date: May 18, 2017 7:33:51 PM

Extract from Hastings and St. Leonard's Observer, Saturday July 28, 1917:

ROBERTSBRIDGE

COMPENSATION AWARD

East Sussex Licensing Committee sat at the County Hall, Lewes, on Monday for the purpose of fixing the compensation to be paid in respect of the Railway Tavern, Robertsbridge and The Welcome Stranger, Flimwell, the licences of which had been declared to be redundant.

In the case of the Railway Tavern, Robertsbridge, Mr. C. H. Stanley , who appeared on behalf of Messrs. Frederick Leney and Sons, brewers, Wateringbury, said he based his calculations on the figures for 1915, which he regarded as normal. It was remarkable that the trade should have been so well maintained having regard to the adverse conditions, including shortened hours and depleted population.

Mr. G. F. Page, valuer in the Compensation Authority, stated that in fixing the award of compensation, he considered the increased price of beer was an exceptional factor, which could not be relied upon.

Mr. Stanley pointed out that, though the brewery would lose the house, the expenses of the firm would not decrease to any great extent.

The Chairman (Mr. G. M. Freeman, K.C.) observed that the Commission had to decide between the parties, as the brewery based their calculation on abn"ormal conditions.

After consultation in private it was assessed that the Commission awarded compensation of £1,229, out of which the £1,053 was allocated to the owners and £176 to the tenant.

Attempts to reduce the number of pubs in the 19th century had often floundered on the legal concept that a license, although only technically given for a year at a time, and therefore subject to renewal was a form of property, and therefore could not be removed except through due legal process. The Licensing Bill of 1904 introduced compensation for the owner and tenant if a pub was closed other than because of misconduct. The source of the compensation was the trade itself with every licensed premise paying a levy on a graduated scale. Between 1904 and 1914 some 10% of licensed premises were eliminated usually poorer quality ones, requiring less compensation.

See also The Good Intent (1911) and Wheatsheaf (1917).