by staff reporter.
New conditions have been imposed on Weymouth Angling Society following a review of its Premises (drinks) Licence.
The hearing took place, in private, after a claim from a former club member that he was assaulted and left unconscious outside the Commercial Road premises.
He claimed that people inside the club knew what was happening but did not intervene or call for medical assistance and he had to be helped by a passer-by.
A suspect, another club member, interviewed at the time, two years ago, claimed he had acted in self-defence believing he was about the be attacked.
Dorset Police, in pre-hearing reports, were critical of the club for not making a CCTV recording of the incident available to officers, with claims there had been a power outage at the time.
The CCTV recording was later given to the victim, a man in his 50s, and made available to councillors reviewing the licence.
Documents about the review which had been available to the public prior to the hearing, have now been removed from the council website with a police investigation, which had stopped, now said to be ongoing.
The new conditions added to the Premises Licence for the Society include mandatory risk assessments for door supervision, installation and maintenance of CCTV, and the implementation of policies covering dispersal, welfare, and staff training.
Under the new conditions, the club must assess the need for Security Industry Authority (building SIA)-accredited door supervisors based on time and day, and maintain detailed records of their deployment. CCTV must operate continuously during licensable hours, with footage stored for 28 days and made readily available to police or council officers.
The Society is also required to have a written dispersal policy to manage the departure of members and guests, alongside an incident log to record crimes, complaints, and visits from authorities. The club must also maintain a refusals register documenting any denied alcohol sales, including reasons and staff details.
Staff involved in alcohol sales will undergo training every six months, with signed records kept for inspection. Additionally, a welfare policy must be in place to ensure the wellbeing of members and guests.
Councillors who made up the licensing panel say the measures are designed to enhance public safety and ensure compliance with licensing regulations. The society is expected to implement the changes immediately and maintain documentation for inspection by Dorset Police and licensing officers.
The Society has said that a new committee has been in place since the time of the incident and that it has continued to maintain and uphold all of the conditions of its premises licence.
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