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Licence of house considered for refusal at Licensing
Sessions of Wednesday 23rd June 1909.
At the time the house held a beer-house licence with provision for
consumption on the premises.
This was one of 13 local houses under threat of closure and only this house
and one other ( Lamb Inn, Kings Lynn ) objected to the loss of licence.
According to evidence given in support of the house, it was said that the
population of Snettisham was 1,360 and that there were 11 licences in the
parish. The licences were 4 full licences, 3 `on' beer-house licences, one
`off ' beer-house and 3 grocers' licences.
It was argued that there were effectively one house for every 170 people and
that the Queen Victoria was redundant. The New Inn was 90 yards away, the
Rose & Crown 185 yards distant and the Compass 242 yards away.
The accommodation of the Queen Victoria included a bar about 16 feet square,
a kitchen 16 feet by 12 feet and a private room. There was also a yard where
good accommodation was provided and there was plenty of room for police
supervision of the house. Police Superintendant Lewis considered the Grapes
to be a better house, but agreed that both houses served the working
classes. The witness confirmed that there was no difficulty in supervising
the house and that it was the nearest house to two quarries and the workers
refreshed themselves at the Queen Victoria.
The superintendant pointed out that one quarry belonged to the Grammar
School and the other.....
Before he could finish the Chairman interrupted to confirm that he owned the
second quarry and that the quarries were really `carr stone pits'.
The bench were reminded that the population of Snettisham could swell by a
thousand or more people in the summer and had become more popular in the
last two years. ( Since the Queen's bungalow was built ).
Magistrate Whitby did not consider it likely that visitors to the beach were
going to visit the Queen Victoria.
In support of the licence Mr North said that the test was to consider the
amount of trade conducted at the house. In the previous year 70 dozen
bottles plus 130 barrels of beer and 182 dozen bottles of mineral waters.
Men from the carr stone pits got their beer from the house and others lodged
and ate there. In the Summer so many people stayed at Snettisham that many
had to find accommodation in farmhouses and other places outside the
village. To prove that the house was frequented by people from outside the
area, it was pointed out that 14 casks of cider had been sold in the last
year and Norfolk labourers preferred good beer. Tea and coffee were also
served at the house.
The Magistrates decided to re-new the licence.
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