Howitt's bars off the market
20 November, 2007
Smoke rebel vows to take fight to European Court of Human Rights
Smoke ban rebel Hamish Howitt is taking his bars off the market and has vowed to take his fight to the European Court of Human Rights.
Howitt, licensee of Delboy’s Sports Bar and Happy Scots karaoke bar, in Blackpool, previously said he was selling up due to the cost of fighting the council over the ban.
But he told thepublican.com: “I’m taking my pub off the market and am more determined than ever.”
He also ruled out plans to move to Spain to run a bar with fellow smoke ban rebel Nick Hogan.
However Howitt may not have a bar left to run after Blackpool Council yesterday revoked the premises licence of Delboy’s Sports Bar.
The licence was revoked on the basis that three of the four licensing objectives had not been upheld – prevention of crime and disorder; protection of children from harm, and protection of public safety.
But Howitt said he will appeal the decision, which must be done within 21 days. “I’m confident I can get this overturned,” he said. “I don’t compromise safety, that’s something I would never do. I love my public.”
He also claimed the council had revoked the licence on evidence from Happy Scots, Howitt's basement karaoke bar, which has a separate licence. “Without a doubt they have got the wrong premises,” he said.
Howitt is back in the magistrates court tomorrow facing charges over alleged breaches of the smoking ban.
Earlier this month Howitt was fined £500 and ordered to pay £2,000 costs and a £15 victim surcharge after pleading guilty to 12 offences of allowing smoking on his premises – becoming the first licensee to be prosecuted for flouting the ban.
Readers' comments
Taken them off the market? There can only be one reason for this; because he can't sell them! Obviously his plan to whip up publicity has failed dismally. I'd love to know how he thinks "pleading guilty to 12 offences" is the same as "fighting the ban", lmao! The simple truth is this: The guy has tried it on, had his knuckles rapped and is now getting on with his business as every other publican has done since July 1st.
Well done Hamish even the Sun newspaper wants to save our boozers ,but they say its the price of the ale that is the culprit,even they know it is the smoking ban,why dont they get real and be of some real help and save our Great British PUB.
Well done Hamish it is a pity more publicans are too apathetic to do stand up against a nanny state which spends vast amounts amounts of money creating a ban which has no effect on public health, and is just a devisive engineering policy, for what gain to society, pubs shut and people sit at home. People will vent their frustration at home, because they have not gone to the pub to talk and get the days frustrations out of the way. To accept this law allows, many other laws in, being over prescribed body weight, drinking more than the prescribed amount (which was made up) coffee, ham,bacon.cosmetics, some house hold cleaning products. (all have a higher risk than SHS) And the risk factors of SHS and coffee etc are so small that they are not even wrth talking about. A bit of common sense tells us how dangerous these things are, not the Government.