City centre pub could lose licence after repeat police visits, drunk on-duty staff and evidence it was open 4 hours later than allowed

A city centre pub could lose its licence after police raised concerns about repeated breaches – including finding licensees drunk on duty and opening for hours past last orders. Church Gate Restaurant, next to Leicester’s Highcross Shopping Centre has be warned a number of times by Leicestershire Police to change its ways.

A final warning was handed to the venue at 29 Church Gate in September 2022 by the force, but a number of incidents over noise, staffing and opening hours have been reported by police officers since. On one occasion, police reported the owner – the person responsible for the pub on the night of their visit – had been drunk when they arrived. The force has now called on Leicester City Council to review the premise’s licence which could lead to its suspension or removal.

Owner Yoseif Estifanos said in an email sent to both the council and LeicestershireLive that he hopes the council will support him in keeping his business open. “Since the reported issues with police,” he said, “I have now been strict in controlling any anti-social behaviour, noises or any issues that might affect the business, the neighbourhood, the public peace and sense of security.”

He also accused the police and council of failing to do their job in protecting the area, and instead “lazily choosing to pass the buck” to “honest small business owners” who are just trying to run their businesses.

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The police said they had been called to Church Gate a few weeks after the final warning was issued after a man was hit over the head with a glass bottle. The incident was not connected to the pub, but the sergeant who responded to the incident asked Mr Estifanos if he could review the CCTV.

Mr Estifanos was the only member of staff in the bar on the Friday night, with the exception of a member of door staff, the police report said. He was, in the officer’s professional opinion, drunk.

“I could smell intoxicants on him and noticed that his speech seemed slurred and that he was struggling to complete the most basic of tasks and retain information. Mr Estifanos was also struggling to stand up straight and seemed unsteady on his feet,” the sergeant said.

This was “wholly unacceptable” the police said and more so as he was the responsible person for the premises at the time, while it was open and serving.

A second incident occurred in February. Under the pub’s conditions, a bouncer is required to be on the door after 10pm at the weekend. Police were carrying out a licensing compliance check after 11pm on a Saturday night and found there was no member of staff on the front door.

When Mr Estifanos was asked why no one was on the door, he said the doorman had called in sick and he had only found out at the last minute. He did not have a second doorman to cover the shift.

“He was advised he should close for the night as he didn’t have the door staff,” the police officer’s report said. “He seemed very relaxed about the fact he was clearly in breach of his licence conditions and appeared to be amused by the whole situation. He said that he had stayed open as he needed the money.”

Police had also reported a number of occasions when music could be heard playing from the premises some distance away and times when the venue had been open and serving customers later than the permitted hours – once people were seen entering and leaving four hours later. Concerns were also raised that not all staff had been fully trained.

Mr Estifanos said: “I hope that the council will support me to keep my business open as since the reported issues with police I have now been strict in controlling any anti-social behaviour, noises or any issues that might affect the business, the neighbourhood, the public peace and sense of security. I have assured my patrons and staff including undertaking new training as a result of these issues and how to tackle and assure safety, peace and professionalism.

“I hope the council will allow me to keep my business which employs others and is good for the city economy and not shut us down with revoking the licence which affect our lives and pushed us to benefits, [causing additional] strain on public funds already overstrained.

“I am and will be happy if you wish to appoint new supervisor, or modify or limit scope of license. Please do not close us we believe this is above overreaction taking into account most of these issues are originating from businesses away from mine and merely end up by my side or outside my business. And the area is already a point of many issues including criminal, anti-social behaviour, noises, drugs etc.”

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