A LAST-DITCH attempt to reinstate the licence of a popular Carlisle pub has failed after magistrates were told that it was so badly managed that it posed a “danger” to its customers.

The decision came despite the current leasholder of The Cumberland Inn on Botchergate making an impassioned plea to the court, hoping to convince them that recent changes had rendered the pub safe.

Gholamreza Mohtashami told magistrates that a total of 87 troublemakers were now currently barred from the pub – more than from any other pub or bar in the Carlisle area. He also described how he had introduced tougher security measures, issuing two-way radios to every member of staff.

But magistrates ruled against lifting the Carlisle City Council imposed licence revocation, accepting the argument from the authority's barrister that the current leaseholder's control of the pub was now “at the end of the road.”

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The court heard that over the period when Mr Mohtashami had been in charge of the pub as the leaseholder there had been 43 emergency calls to the police because of incidents at The Cumberland Inn.

Some 20 of those call-outs had happened since the City Council’s licensing sub-committee made its decision to revoke the pub’s licence.

In his closing speech to magistrates, barrister Mark Howells, for the City Council, said: “Ultimately, Mr Mohtashami has reached the end of the road with The Cumberland Inn and not before time.

“The pub is dangerous and all attempts to remedy the situation have failed. It is submitted that to allow this appeal would be to put the safety and security of anyone associated with the pub at continued risk.

“There has been no single or even remotely convincing reason why the committee’s decision was wrong and it is respectfully submitted that the appeal is refused.”

In an earlier submission, Mr Howells said that Mr Mohtashami’s appeal appeared to be based on his decision to introduce 10 two-way radios to his staff, along with a promise that things would get better.

The barrister had earlier challenged a claim that the pub’s new “designated premises supervisor” {DPS} would help turn the pub around.

He told the court: “He was not available to question and not available to support the appellant’s case. There is no reason whatsoever to believe that the new DPS will have a positive influence on the pub in the future.”

It was suggested that the presence of a supervisor on only a Friday and Saturday was not adequate “given the dire and dangerous situation of the pub.”

The barrister added: “The fact that [the designated supervisor] continues to rely heavily on Mr Mohtashami to make important judgement calls, such as who should and who should not be allowed in the pub, is equally disturbing and indicates that history will repeat itself.”

Commenting on the trouble which had flared up at the pub, Mr Howells said there had been a “catalogue” of serious incidents since what he said was a “major incident” which happened on December 31.

The barrister added that Mr Mohtashami had shown a “flagrant disregard” for the serious incidents which had happened at The Cumberland Inn.

In his own testimony, Mr Mohtashami said he usually spent his time at the pub sitting in the office, monitoring CCTV images for any signs of trouble. “We’re doing a good job at the moment,” he said.

“There are 42 people barred from The Cumberland Inn and they are not part of the Pubwatch Scheme. There are also 45 people barred under that scheme. It’s quite a hard job but we are doing our best.

“They are barred because of trying to cause trouble. We don’t let any of them on to the premises. I don’t think any other licensed premises in Carlisle has as many names on its list of barred customers.”

He added that he had suffered racism and threats outside the pub but insisted that his staff were doing a good job. Magistrates ruled that Mr Mohtashami – whose application was also opposed by Punch Taverns, who own the premises, must now pay legal costs of just over £7,000.

In the original application to revoke the pub’s licence, Cumbria Police said to the management of the pub was so 'inadequate' and 'unprofessional' that customers and staff were being put at risk of harm'.

The committee hearing which led to the decision to revoke the pub's licence last October heard about a catalogue of incidents, including occasions when strict covid lockdown rules were flouted.

The review detailed 28 incidents since July 2020 – noting that the period included two national lockdowns '. As well the covid restriction breaches, there was a fight and an assault on members of staff.

A video found on social media showed people dancing in the pub – some with their shirts off – at a time when Covid-19 restrictions did not permit dancing in premises and only allowed table service.

A fixed penalty notice was served on Mr Mohtashami by Environmental Health officials for a failure to comply with the requirements of Tier 1 lockdown restrictions. He was also accused of allowing a rowdy group back into the premises after they were asked to leave.

A fight involving the same group of people later broke out in the pub's foyer and members of staff had to intervene. Mr Mohtashami's representative said this incident was responded to 'quite quickly'.

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