THE Leader can today exclusively reveal which councillors voted to refuse the renewal of the entertainment licence at the Coach Inn.
A vote, which took place at a special meeting of Banbridge Council last Tuesday night, saw the following 12 councillors vote in favour of refusal - Joan Baird (UUP), Norah Beare (DUP), Ian Burns (UUP), John Hanna (UUP), David Herron (DUP), Stephen He
rron (TUV), Liz Ingram (UUP), Carol Black (UUP), Jim McElroy (DUP), Junior McCrum (DUP), Wilfred McFadden (DUP) and Paul Rankin (DUP).
The Leader understands only four councillors - Frank McQuaid (Alliance), Seamus Doyle (SDLP), Patrick McAleenan (SDLP) and Dessie Ward (Sinn Fein) - voted in favour of giving the Church Square premises a reprieve until September.
It is believed the only councillor not in attendance at the meeting, which went on for over three hours, was SDLP councillor Cassie McDermott, who had previously not voted on the issue having declared an interest.At a previous meeting in December Councillors Ingram, McFadden and Hanna had voted in favour of giving the Coach Inn a reprieve, while Councillors Stephen Herron and Ian Burns were not present for the vote.
The Church Square premises remain open ahead of any appeal.
When contacted after the meeting, owner Dominic Quinn said he had no comment to make on the decision or whether he would lodge an appeal.
A council spokesperson explained that the Coach Inn Entertainment Licence was due for renewal on 31 December 2007 and an application was received in respect of this.
"Following consideration of a PSNI objection to the renewal, assessment of the history of compliance by the business with the conditions imposed in respect of the existing Entertainment Licence and representations made by the Coach Inn, the council took the decision to refuse the application for renewal," the spokesperson added.
"The applicant has right of appeal against this decision within 21 days to the County Court."
The club's licence had been left hanging in the balance after the area's former police area commander, Christine McCullough, voiced concerns over anti-social behaviour in the town.
A number of people also face drugs charges following a raid on the premises late last year.
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The full article contains 399 words and appears in Banbridge Leader newspaper.