Daughter of lockdown-breach landlord to reopen Harrogate pub

Harrogate Borough Council's licensing committee has given permission for the previous landlord's daughter to run the pub

A pub formerly run by a landlord who was stripped of his licence after "blatantly disregarding" lockdown rules is to be reopened by his daughter.

The Coach and Horses in Harrogate, was visited by police and council officers several times across the Spring bank holiday weekend in May.

Crowds of up to 45 customers were seen gathered to buy takeaway drinks.

Samantha Nelson told a licensing committee: "There is no way I'll make the same mistakes my dad did".

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Ms Nelson said her father would continue to live in a flat above the pub but insisted he will have no involvement in the running the business, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

She also said the pub - which first opened in 1827 - would be refurbished and resume trading after Christmas.

At the time of the lockdown breaches in May, more than 40 people complained to the council after spotting drinkers gathering outside the pub, then run by John Nelson.

Police and Harrogate Borough Council staff visited several times and Mr Nelson told them he would only remove the outdoor furniture if he was served a prohibition notice. One was handed to him on 31 May.

Councillors also heard how council staff had faced verbal abuse from drinkers, with one customer following officers back to their cars.

Bar stools, beer barrels and chairs were set up outside the pub across four days on the Bank Holiday weekend, and CCTV footage showed the furniture was still used after the prohibition notice was served.

A lawyer for Mr Nelson previously said his client accepted he had made a "chronic error of judgement".

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