'Broken promise': Leeds Wetherspoons banned from serving Otley Run revellers
A Leeds Wetherspoon pub has been blocked from serving drinkers on the Otley Run after a wave of public opposition.
The Golden Beam, in Headingley, tried to remove a premises licence condition preventing it from admitting people on the Otley Run.
Leeds City Council received 145 objections, including from ward councillors and Alex Sobel MP, raising fears it would add to anti-social behaviour on the crawl.
Wetherspoon’s argued that letting pub crawlers in would ease problems on the route by offering more space, toilets and food.
Legal director Nigel Connor told a licensing hearing: “I will argue that instead of adding to those issues, granting the application will in fact alleviate them.”
Mr Connor said the pub would maintain a separate seating area for locals if the licence variation was granted.
He said there were no complaints when the pub allowed Otley Runners in using temporary event notices.
He said: “The Golden Beam is a premises with a good reputation. We maintain good relationships with the police and other authorities.
“It’s a premises which is used to large crowds.”
Councillors were told Wetherspoon offered the Otley Run condition when it was granted a licence in 2020.
Labour’s James Gibson, one of three members on the licensing sub-committee, said: “If you increase capacity it stands to reason that more people will come.
“It feels to me like a broken promise.”
Mr Connor said the company thought “long and hard” before submitting the application.
He said: “It certainly wasn’t intended to be a betrayal of trust.”
Objector Michael Hurwood, who lives on the pub crawl route, said there had been a huge increase in those taking part.
He said: “It would be perverse and irrational to grant this application.”
Another objector, Chris Gilbert, described chaotic Otley Run scenes and the Sunday morning aftermath.
He said: “You frequently see public urination. We’ve had elderly residents pushed into the road.
“We have vomit, litter, broken glass, all the way down Otley Road.”
West Yorkshire Police objected over road safety, saying drunk people would wander into the road to get to the pub.
PC Neil Haywood said: “This increases the risk of somebody getting knocked down.”
Green Party Headingley councillor Tim Goodall said people were leaving the area to get away from the pub crawl.
He said: “People have sold their house and moved, simply because of the Otley Run.”
The sub-committee unanimously resolved to refuse the licence variation.