Wykebeck Arms Halton: Leeds council stops ‘Afrobeat’ music night after police issue licencing warning

The Afrobeat music night would have drawn up to 300 people to the Wykebeck Arms in Halton, Leeds.

Leeds City Council’s licensing sub-committee heard that a warning was served on the Selby Road premises on February 27.

Licence breaches included operating outside permitted hours and having no staff register or incident book, West Yorkshire Police said.

A temporary event notice for the March 23 music night stated it was for 100 people when many more may attend, the hearing was told.

PC Neil Haywood said: “We are concerned that this is a pub not designed to hold an event of this nature.”

Premises operator Boubacar Barry said he took over the pub last December and was trying to promote the business.

He said: “Food is my main business. I have been running this place for the last three months and there have been zero incidents. Most people, they do love my food. They are very supportive.”

He said he had invested thousands of pounds in the event, including on advance payments to musical acts.

He told the committee: “I’m not going to be doing things to put myself out of business after all the investment.

“I’m just asking to be given a chance.”

Alcohol sales at the event would stop at 3am and the premises would close at 4am, Mr Barry said.

He said the figure of 100 attendees was a mistake. He added: “I never said the event was for 100 people.”

In their objection to the event, West Yorkshire Police said the pub was next to residential streets and it would cause significant nuisance and disruption to the community.

PC Haywood added: “We do sympathise with the financial predicament of Mr Barry, but that is not why we are here.”

The committee issued a counter notice, as requested by the police. Mr Barry was told it means the event is now prohibited.