Information on Cookies
To make the best use of our website, you'll need to make sure your web browser is set to accept cookies to ensure you receive the best experience.
For further information, please read our Cookies Policy.
Log In
Further to our previous article, the licensing sub-committee of Fenland Council has now determined the applicaiton for review of the premises licence.
The sub-committee heard that Wisbech mayor allowed customers to "hug and kiss" in his pub on Christmas Eve showed a "blatant disregard" for Covid regulations.
After a licence review, the district council concluded "Covid regulations were largely ignored" and said his name would be taken off the licence.
The licence of the pub, which is owned by Elgoods Brewery, will also be suspended for three months, the council's licensing committee said.
Mr Balsevics said he was "disappointed" at the decision and intended to appeal.
A review of the pub licence was instigated after CCTV showed customers and staff "mingling/mixing freely and on many occasions seen having physical contact between different tables and different households i.e. hugging, kissing, shaking hands and even mock fighting/wrestling", Fenland's licensing committee heard.
In passing down its decision to remove Mr Balsevics from the pub's licence, the committee added: "We considered the information before us and felt it necessary to take robust steps as the circumstances that gave rise to the review are totally unacceptable."
Mr Balsevics "must not have any further managerial responsibility for the premises", the panel concluded, however, this does not affect his job as landlord of two other pubs in Wisbech.
The three-month suspension of the licence for The Angel Inn would allow the owners to seek a new landlord and "engage fully with any existing or subsequent relevant health and safety and public health legislation affecting the licensed trade", the committee said.
In a statement following the review, Mr Balsevics said he believed the premises had taken "reasonable steps".
"In hindsight we recognise that we could have done more to enhance the safety of our customers but the decision is not proportionate as there is no track record of any matters arising in our premises before Christmas Eve," he added.
Source: BBC