Pub offers to hand out lollipops after noise complaints

A pub operator facing claims crowds of customers sang, swore and urinated outside its doors after closing reportedly offered to hand out lollipops as a solution.

The Auld Hoose, in North Berwick, faces a review of its licence this week after a string of allegations about the behaviour of some of its clientele.

The pub, which is operated by Greene King and has been temporarily closed for refurbishment, faced accusations from neighbours of crowds of up to 50 people congregating outside after it closed in the early hours of the morning with some throwing up and urinating outside people’s homes in the street, and loud noise continuing into the early hours of the morning.

Police said the pub had been put on their monitoring list in August after they received several calls over the summer from people complaining about noise and rowdy behaviour outside, with staff at one stage calling for help to deal with a customer who had been asked to leave.

A number of objectors to the pub’s current licence said they did not want to lose the pub describing it as a ‘North Berwick institution” but its current hours, with claims it was open until 1am, and lack of control of customers needed to be addressed.

A spokesperson for the pub said they have been working with licensing officers and await the decision of the review.

They said: “We are closed temporarily for a refurbishment, and we look forward to reopening the pub with a fresh new look and new operators for the North Berwick community to enjoy.”

The council’s licensing standards officer produced a report of complaints since the summer and actions taken to date.

She said one on occasion a residents contacted her office saying customers were outside ‘shouting obscenities, urinating and vomiting” adding it had been going on for weeks. She added there were also concerns raised that there was no landline for neighbours to contact the manager.

She said she spoke to representatives from Greene King and had a meeting with them and the premises manager in August.

Among action taken, she said the pub representatives had said they would look into employing door staff at the weekends, putting up extra signs asking people to keep the noise down when leaving, adding they had also suggested “lollipops to be given away at the end of the day to patrons leaving”.

She said the most recent meeting with representatives had been’positive’ with a new management team due to be brought in over the next two months.

The council’s licensing board will review its current licence at a meeting later this week.