LANDLORDS are being warned to ensure their CCTV is working – or face closure.
Police have shut two popular Preston bars in the past few weeks after they were found to have inadequate security camera coverage.
The Skeffington Arms in Ribbleton Lane has been shut down for a week because police found "minimal" cameras surveying the premises. Police closed it during a routine inspection last Tuesday afternoon because the pub was in breach of its licensing conditions.
PC Julie Stewart from the licensing department at Preston Police was due to visit the pub yesterday and said she would re-open it if CCTV was working.
She said: "It's for public safety and their own safety to detect crime.
"The pub had minimal CCTV – it wasn't recording. If an incident had happened and we needed to get evidence and locate an offender, we couldn't have from there. Even the staff aren't safe in those conditions."
Nobody from the pub was available for comment.
Meanwhile, Fives in Guild Hall Street in Preston city centre, was also closed when police found inadequate CCTV coverage in the four-bar venue.
Cameras were in place but "there wasn't comprehensive coverage", PC Stewart said.
It is understood bosses rectified the problem in just a few hours and it did not affect business but nobody from the venue was available for comment.
Sgt John Lovick, also from the licensing department at Preston Police, said officers had returned to Fives last week to issue advice to staff and the new licensee.
He said: "The CCTV is now fully compliant."
CCTV is part of conditions agreed by authorities such as the police and the licence holder when the licence is granted.
There was no one available for comment at either bar.
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