A Skye hotel is in danger of losing its licence after the manager had a “lock-in”.
Councillors will today decide whether to revoke, suspend or vary the premises licence for the Misty Isle Hotel in Dunvegan. Manager Alan Agnew could also have his personal licence endorsed, suspended or revoked.
When police carried out a licensed premises check at the hotel on the night in question they found 16 “intoxicated” adults who had come from a wedding at Dunvegan Castle and were drinking alcohol more than an hour after the legal limit.
They also found a boy, aged about 12, playing an electronic tablet device in the bar.
Manager and tenant Mr Agnew was fined a total of £700 after being convicted at Portree Sheriff Court in March.
A letter from Police Constable Philip Gormley said that at about 1.30am on Thursday, July 23 last year, police carried out a licensed premises check on the hotel.
When they attended they heard loud music and raised voices coming from the bar.
Police observed Mr Agnew drinking lager behind the bar and said that he “appeared intoxicated”, along with 15 others, most of whom were “intoxicated and consuming alcohol”.
The Constable’s report also states that Mr Agnew’s judgement would have been impaired and that this would have inhibited his ability to control any potential crime.
He was also condemned for showing “complete and utter disregard” under the Preventing children from harm objective by allowing a child under 18 years of age access to the bar area.
The letter also condemns his disregard for avoiding public nuisance, as the premise should have ceased serving drink by midnight on Wednesday, July 22, meaning no customers should have been on the premise after 12.15am.
The matters will be discussed at today’s Highland Licensing Board at the council’s headquarters in Glenurquhart Road, Inverness.
Premises licence holder John Neill has also been invited to attend, along with the Police Constable and Mr Agnew.
