OBJECTIONS have been raised to a pub, where drug dealers unwittingly sold cocaine to undercover police, being granted a new licence to sell alcohol.

The Leather Bottle in Shrub End, Colchester, had its premises licence revoked by Colchester Council in January after police undertook a major investigation into drug dealing between June and November last year.

The council’s licensing sub-committee will now decide whether to approve an application for a new premises licence on Tuesday.

According to a council report, the applicant, listed as Maxine Burch, has agreed a series of conditions with Essex Police and environment protection, including submitting a written drugs policy and keeping a drugs safe at the pub for storing confiscated illegal substances.

If approved, the new opening hours will be from 10am to midnight from Sunday to Wednesday and until 1am Thursday to Saturday.

However, representations submitted to the council from residents have expressed concern that crime and antisocial behaviour could return if the new licence is granted.

One read: “This seems to suggest that granting a licence may mean no lessons have been learned with regard to drugs.

“Have the police got the manpower to follow up all the items that have been put in place if the licence is granted? Can the council guarantee all the safeguards put in place can be checked for compliance?”

Another read: “This was stripped of its alcohol licence for a reason. It was the ‘heart of a large scale cocaine business’.

“Has everyone forgotten? How this could even be given the time and consideration is beyond us all.”

In the report from the January licensing meeting, police described the pub as “arguably the heart of a large-scale cocaine supply business”.

The solicitor representing the licence holders denied staff were involved in illegal activities.

In addition to discovering evidence of drug dealing, officers witnessed a fight between eight men using weapons which escalated into three of the men driving at people in the car park.

Another of the conditions agreed with Essex Police is that the car park will be shut from 30 minutes after closing until 30 minutes before opening.

CCTV would cover all entrances to the pub, all areas of the garden and car park and toilet entrances.