A BAR has had its licence suspended after police discovered serious criminal activity on the premises.

Officers raided Ryan’s Wine Bar in Orchard Place in Sale after tip-offs from the public and found it was being used as a base for the sale of illegal drugs and stolen goods.

Members of the Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee heard that scales were found behind the bar and a black holdall was discovered in the kitchen area containing knives, axes and balaclava’s. Two people were arrested and have been released on bail pending further investigations.

The police used the Violent Crime Reduction Act to ask the Council to attach interim conditions to the licence and to fast track the review.

Last month, the Licensing Sub-Committee suspended the bar’s licence pending a full review hearing. The landlord, after speaking to council officers and the police, terminated the previous licence holder’s lease, sacked the staff and terminated a tenancy agreement for the flat above the premises.

The bar now has a new licence holder and a new Designated Premises Supervisor has been put in place, with a commitment to SIA Door Staff at busy periods, a complete overall of CCTV requirements and a series of policy manuals for effective staff training.

The Licensing Sub-Committee held a full review hearing at the Town Hall on December 5 and took the step of modifying the conditions of the existing licence, to include further requirements around CCTV use and SIA accredited staff at the premises. The Sub-Committee also reviewed the interim steps that it had previously taken and determined that suspension of the licence would continue until the Licensing Authority are satisfied that certain new licence conditions in respect of CCTV installation and SIA Staff engagement have been met.

Mike Freeman, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Constitutional Reform and Resident Engagement, said: “The Licensing Sub-Committee was right to suspend the licence at this premises. It was being used as a crime hub for drug dealing and the sale of stolen goods – and that is not something we want happening in our local communities.

“The new Licence Holder is hoping to build a working relationship with Licensing Officers. The Licensing Sub-Committee has shown faith in this new management and allowed for the Premises licence to remain but with a series of robust conditions to promote the Licensing Objectives, in particular the prevention of crime and disorder."

The Council’s Licensing Team will be inspect the premises prior to it re-opening to check for compliance with new conditions and, where conditions have been met, the Council will take the necessary steps to consider removal of the current suspension.