Landlady gets final chance at drugs pub

BLACKS Head landlady Teresa Leigh has been told she can keep her pub, after police found evidence that Stoke City supporters were snorting drugs in the bar, before marching to the Britannia Stadium.

Staffordshire Police had asked Stoke-on-Trent City Council's licensing committee to revoke Miss Leigh's licence.

But yesterday, she was given six months to sort out the pub's match day problems, after a number of regulars spoke in her defence, including Stoke City legend Alan Hudson.

Miss Leigh, above, has already introduced anti-drug measures since police first found evidence of substance abuse at the pub, in North Street, Stoke, in February.

She has fitted carpet across wooden surfaces, covered painted brick work in vegetable oil, employed match day security staff, and displayed warnings that drugs will not be tolerated.

She has now been told she must boost the pub's CCTV coverage and redesign the toilet area. Committee chairman John Davis said: "The committee has very serious concerns about the high level of drug use at this premises and wishes to emphasise that this is her last chance.

"If improvements are not seen in six months, the licence will be revoked."

The committee was told police first visited the pub on Monday, February 4, following Stoke's home match against Cardiff. Officers took swab readings and found evidence of cocaine throughout the pub.

The drug was found on a table top near a skittles board, in the lounge area opposite a pool table and on a window ledge by the darts board.

Traces of heroin were also found. Evidence of heroin and cocaine was found in the ladies toilet, and cocaine in the gents.

Detectives took one of the highest drug readings ever taken in a city pub in the disabled toilet.

Officers returned on March 5, and on April 21, finding evidence of more drug abuse each time.

PC Graeme Owen told the committee investigations into drug abuse at the pub had been launched as a result of intelligence passed on by officers investigating football hooliganism.

He said: "Drug taking is present among football fans prior to Stoke games.

"The swabs taken were analysed and gave significant readings, indicating drug use had taken place. Many were taken in the pub area, within the bar or lounge, some only a few feet away from the bar."

Representing Miss Leigh, Robin Lichfield said drug readings had dropped by about one third each time police had visited.

He said: "She's doing everything she can to make sure there's no drug use."

Almost 200 regulars had signed a petition in support of Miss Leigh and a number had written letters to the licensing committee, including Mr Hudson, who wrote: "I have to be very careful where I go for obvious reasons, but I have no worries about visiting this pub."."