Lancashire Police slams club for 'females fighting, drugs, lock-ins and underage drinking'

Haslingden Trades Club managers have been called to a premises licence review, requested by the police, at Rossendale Council this Friday, March 27.

Lee Barrett has been the Regent Street premises’ licence holder and Christopher Butterworth the designated supervisor since summer 2023. But following incidents that year, the premises licence was suspended at a council review in early 2024 for 30 days and the managers were told to make improvements.

Now, in a new report to Rossendale Council, Police Sgt Stephen Dundon has listed new incidents and accusations during 2025. He said:

• In April, a complaint was received alleging drug use at the club and flat above, with people ‘smoking crack pipes outside, drug-dealing from the flat and lock-ins’ after 11pm’.
• In May, police received a report that a 16-year-old had been drinking cider there and was inside from 7pm until 11pm.
• On June 10, police received a call from the premises licence holder at 11.20pm, saying he was away but was concerned his partner, who was working at the club, did not seem to want to close it and was ‘under the influence’. He said he kept ringing her to shut the club, but she would not, the police report says. He wanted to tell the police, because he was aware of the licensable hours and ‘wanted to assure the police he was trying to follow them’. He called again at 11.47pm, saying the premises was now closed.
• In July, police say ‘low-confidence intelligence’ alleged ‘blatant drug use, stating that customers and management were openly smoking crack cocaine inside and cocaine is often snorted off the pool table.’
• Also in July, police had a report that about 20 females were fighting outside and some did not appear old enough to drink. Sgt Dundon said:”Officers attended, one female reported an assault and those involved left the scene. Officers said there were a number of under-age people inside.”
• In the early hours of December 13, police received a call at 2.50am reporting a man ‘laid out’ in the street outside the club. He was screaming and shouting, having banged his head. Sgt Dundon wrote: “The caller believed people were inside the club, even though the doors were closed, and they suspected a lock-in, which they said happened every week.”
• On December 19, Sgt Dundon and Rossendale Council officer Susan Chadwick visited the club. They spoke to staff and the premises supervisor about the December 13 incident.

Sgt Dundon reported: “The premises supervisor said he had four friends in the premises, had locked the doors and thought that would be OK. He said he understood it was against the law ‘as such,but a lot of places do it’.”

Officers said breaches included the premises licence not displayed, no refusals book or incident book, no code of conduct and no written drugs policy. Also a ‘Check 25’ notice behind the bar was small and obstructed.

Police said the premises supervisor ‘took the blame’, saying he did not know what was needed and previously worked away a lot.

But Sgt Dundon added: “Police believe this shows a fundamental failure in management control. To not have any knowledge of licensing conditions, particularly those imposed at an earlier review, is inexcusable for a designated premises supervisor.”

EARLIER REVIEW

At the 2024 review, Mr Barrett accepted some mistakes had been made. He and others had taken over the venue following the death of a previous licensee. Mr Barrett said his main job was a plumbing business and he tended to visit the club later at night or at weekends.

He said staff had made improvements but he also believed the venue was ‘victimised’ by rival pubs through lies and allegations. He also said Haslingden was a ‘difficult’ town. But drugs and under-age drinking were not tolerated in the club, he said.

He and Mr Butterworth will have the chance to have their say at the latest review. Attempts were made to contact the club earlier this week.