Haslingden club in new licence row over drugs and under‑age drinkers

Haslingden Trades Club managers have been called to a premises licence review, requested by the police, at Rossendale Council this Friday (March 27).

Lee Barrett has been the licence holder for the Regent Street premises, and Christopher Butterworth the designated supervisor, since summer 2023. But following incidents that year, the premises licence was suspended for 30 days at a council review in early 2024, and the managers were told to make improvements.

Now, in a new report to Rossendale Council, Police Sgt Stephen Dundon has listed further incidents and allegations during 2025.

In April, a complaint alleged drug use at the club and the flat above, with people “smoking crack pipes outside, drug‑dealing from the flat and lock‑ins after 11pm”.

In May, police received a report that a 16‑year‑old had been drinking cider there and was inside from 7pm until 11pm.

On June 10, police received a call from the premises licence holder at 11.20pm, saying he was away but was concerned that his partner, who was working at the club, did not seem to want to close up and was “under the influence”. He said he kept ringing her to shut the club but she would not, the report says. He called again at 11.47pm to confirm the premises were now closed.

In July, police say “low‑confidence intelligence” alleged “blatant drug use”, claiming customers and management were openly smoking crack cocaine inside and that cocaine was often snorted off the pool table.

Also in July, police received a report that around 20 females were fighting outside and some did not appear old enough to drink. Sgt Dundon said: “Officers attended. One female reported an assault and those involved left the scene. Officers said there were a number of under‑age people inside.”

In the early hours of December 13, police received a call at 2.50am reporting a man “laid out” in the street outside the club. He was screaming and shouting, having banged his head. Sgt Dundon wrote: “The caller believed people were inside the club, even though the doors were closed, and suspected a lock‑in, which they said happened every week.”

On December 19, Sgt Dundon and Rossendale Council officer Susan Chadwick visited the club. They spoke to staff and the premises supervisor about the December 13 incident.

Sgt Dundon reported: “The premises supervisor said he had four friends in the premises, had locked the doors and thought that would be OK. He said he understood it was against the law as such, but that a lot of places do it.”

Officers said breaches included the premises licence not being displayed, no refusals book or incident book, no code of conduct and no written drugs policy. A “Check 25” notice behind the bar was also small and obstructed.

Police said the premises supervisor “took the blame”, saying he did not know what was required and previously worked away a lot.

But Sgt Dundon added: “Police believe this shows a fundamental failure in management control. To not have any knowledge of licensing conditions, particularly those imposed at an earlier review, is inexcusable for a designated premises supervisor.”

Earlier review

At the 2024 review, Mr Barrett accepted that some mistakes had been made. He and others had taken over the venue following the death of the previous licensee. Mr Barrett said his main job was a plumbing business and he tended to visit the club later at night or at weekends.

He said staff had made improvements but also believed the venue was “victimised” by rival pubs through lies and allegations. He said Haslingden was a “difficult” town, but insisted drugs and under‑age drinking were not tolerated in the club.

He and Mr Butterworth will have the chance to give their side at the latest review. Attempts were made to contact the club earlier this week.