Bar wins 5am booze battle; LICENSING: Go-ahead granted but no admission after 3am.

Byline: Helen Thomas

A SPORTS bar in Coventry city centre has been given the goahead to sell alcohol until 5am. But Crosby's, in the Skydome Complex, will not be allowed to admit anyone after 3am under the terms of the licence granted yesterday.

Bosses of the bar, which is run by the Coventry Blaze ice hockey team's management, have welcomed the decision to approve the licence application but say they cannot understand the purpose of the 3am cut-off.

Granting the licence, committee members said the bar must also ensure there is no unnecessary noise by keeping doors closed and monitor the premises with CCTV.

Speaking at yesterday's meeting, Howard Richards, representing the applicant, said the ice hockey team and the bar had built a good reputation in the city.

He added the 5am application would allow the club to serve alcohol while showing late night and early hours sport broadcast from the United States adding it had no intention of letting in drunken revellers leaving nearby pubs and bars.

Mr Richards said he had been studying the West Midlands police website and found the statistics did not reveal a significant amount of antisocial behaviour involving alcohol in the area.

West Midlands Police submitted objections to the licence application arguing Crosby's would have the latest opening areas in the area and would become a potential trouble spot.

Inspector Brian Hornsby said: "There have been incidents of crime in the Skydome site and from time to time it features in the city's hotspots for crime. We believe extending the licence after 4am will mean people trying to drink longer, especially if they see other people going inside."

He added on average the police receive 12 calls per evening between 1-5am regarding incidents in the city centre and said opening bars later puts more pressure on staffing. After deliberating for an hour and a half, the committee decided to grant the 5am licence with conditions.

Speaking after the meeting Mike Cowley, managing director for BCT Leisure, which runs Crosby's, said he is considering appealing against the 3am condition. "We are pleased to have been granted a 5am licence and we are comfortable with some of the conditions imposed upon it," he said. "But we are distinctly unhappy with the situation of no admission after 3am which seems to fly in the face of the evidence presented here today.

"According to the statistics there is no major problem in the area at that time. If the team is travelling back from an away match they may not get back until 3.30am. If they wanted to watch a game on TV or have a drink, under these rules they wouldn't be admitted."

Norman Cox, licensing officer for the Police Authority, said: "The committee has taken into account what we have said especially on admission after 3am, which is all about preventing crime and disorder."

CAPTION(S):

CHEERS... Mike Cowley, Coventry Blaze managing director, head coach Paul Thompson and assistant captain Danny Stewart hail the move.