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West Malvern pub under scrutiny

1:47pm Wednesday 11th June 2008

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A WEST Malvern pub is being investigated by police and licensing authorities following allegations of late-night rowdiness.

At a meeting of West Malvern Parish Council on Monday, members heard that Malvern Hills District Council is holding a license review about the Lamb Inn.

The review was requested by police, who have been clamping down on vandalism and disorderly behaviour in the village.

Police officers told the meeting that 80 reports of criminal damage had been made between January and May this year, compared to 11 the same time last year.

Supt Nick Mason said because of spates of vandalism and rowdiness, West Malvern had been made a priority area for policing and was now patrolled by uniformed support groups at the weekend.

Although police at the meeting agreed that not all the incidents, particularly the outbreaks of vandal attacks on cars, can be linked to the pub, Sgt Sara Goodman said: ""We have got sufficient evidence linking anti-social behaviour with the Lamb to ask for the license review."

Licensing officer Niall McMenamin said the matter is likely to go to a licensing review panel in July. The panel, made up of elected district councillors, will study the evidence and will have a range of options, including tightening up the conditions of the license, and even revoking it.

But Insp Griffiths said the last thing police want is to close the pub down; they just want to ensure it is well managed.

And Supt Mason urged anyone with information about perpetrators of vandalism and rowdiness to tell police, perhaps using CrimeStoppers, where information can be left anonymously.


Your Say YourMalvern Gazette

jessicawright, worcestershire says...
9:50am Tue 17 Jun 08

Yes shut down that pub! I'm sure everyone who goes there will want it to be kept open, but I'm tired of all the noise at 2am in the neighbourhood, and someone attempted to break into my car when I parked along the road outside that pub! Hate it.

hornyold rd, malvern says...
5:44pm Sat 21 Jun 08

Recently my good friend Clarence visited from the USA and he found solace in this eccentric vibrant pub and its friendly boozers.
He described it as the last bastion of a bohemian Malvern and an inspiration to frequent compared to other dull and stagnant bars in the town.
I will put pen to paper (he doesn't e-mail) and inform dear Clarence that the future looks bleak, the knives are out and that the the poor Lamb is soon to be slaughtered.

mackymoo, malvern says...
1:02pm Mon 23 Jun 08

I`m so very glad Clarence enjoyed himself in the Lamb. It would appear the only people that do enjoy the lamb are people that dont have to live anywhere near it. Give me a "dull and stagnant bar" anyday...rather that than yet another £200 wing mirror casually ripped off at 3.00am on a saturday morning.

chocolate starfish, malvern says...
7:07pm Mon 23 Jun 08

These people have to be stopped.
This is a disgrace, 200 quid for a mirror!!! . The automobile industry is having a laugh.

hornyold rd, malvern says...
8:16pm Mon 23 Jun 08

I have spoken to dearest Clarence on the telephone after my comments on the interweb.
I informed him of the problem of noisy shouting and mirror bashing.
The lack of Police action and the oppressed people of West Malvern twitching in fear as they peak between their curtains at the mindless drunken louts causing mayhem in the early hours of the morning.
He was so disgusted he has vowed that he will fly back to the U.K. as soon as He’s had his prostrate operation and teach these culprits a lesson... “Texan style”
The offenders should be afraid as although he is 68 year of age he has been on two tours of duty in Nam (his expression) both in the early nineties, and He is a raving Republican gun nut.
He's know in his home town San Angelo as the Clarence the unfriendly Lion.


mackymoo, malvern says...
12:00pm Tue 24 Jun 08

well if i must buy a foriegn car then i suppose i should accept that its going to cost me...Its easy to have a bit of fun about this...but its far less funny when you have to confront 6 "youths" at 2-00am after one of them has just drunkenly kicked your car. All admitted drinking in the Lamb. Lets get Clarence and his "Posse" of "`nam vets" over to sort `em out. Ooops forgot we are not allowed to protect ourselves as our American cousins are able to.

Frumpy, Malvern says...
3:58pm Tue 24 Jun 08

Its a DISGRACE!!!! The Lamb has been the home of good music and a friendly welcome for years under the same management. When the licensing laws changed, the odd one or two residents got together and tried to cause Colin (the landlord) as many problems as possible. The sudden outbreak of vandalism has NOT been linked to the Lamb, get it straight!
The Lamb is a great British boozer. If these people get their way Malvern will lose another 'Gem' If you don't want to live by a Pub you should'nt have bought a house near one!!!! Save the Lamb and support 'Mad P'

mackymoo, malvern says...
11:08am Wed 25 Jun 08

Ok Frumpy - The Lamb has been host to appalling folk/blues/hippy nonsense music for years with little regard to any band that is actually trying to do something slightly different within Malvern. A typical Malvern disease. Once again I have to ask - do you live close (ie down stream) from the Lamb? I doubt it. ONCE AGAIN all residents agree with you that the Lamb has NOT been linked to the car scratching vandalism. Please can you all make this fact SINK IN!! That particular person is a different breed of nutter. You say the standard tag line " If you don't want to live by a Pub you should'nt have bought a house near one". You NEVER hear that from anyone who lives close to The Nags, the Brewers Arms or even The Wyche Inn. If you love the Lamb so much why dont you buy one of the houses that are for sale close to it? I expect you dont want your car mirrors kicked off or someone puking in your garden for the 20th weekend in a row.

chocolate starfish, malvern says...
6:31pm Wed 25 Jun 08

Tell me if I am wrong but.......Is it also the thinking that upstream traffic may also have a role in this puke-a-thon?
For instance if you have had say, 10/15 pints downstream and you make it “up” the West Malvern Rd on foot you are more likely to hoof your guts out over a convenient garden wall just before giving a Porsche a well heeled flying kick.

As in the movie ”fists of fury” starring Bruce Lee.




Steve Price, Malvern says...
5:55pm Thu 26 Jun 08

The last point is quite a good one re people coming up the hill and trashing cars, if it is proven that this is the case then shut the pubs in town.
I get the mirror on my van bent regularly but the local fight club I mean pub is still going. If anyone near the Lamb wants to swap properties we would be glad to do it. 3 bed semi in Pound Bank.
LONG LIVE THE LAMB and all who stagger out of it after a good night out.

mackymoo, malvern says...
3:06pm Fri 27 Jun 08

Well of course its upstream traffic...making the pilgramige to the Lamb where they can drink even more until 4-00am and then trash our vehicles and vomit/urinate in our gardens. Whats the phrase "dont sh1t on your doorstep"? very apt. The lamb USED to be great and we co-existed in relative harmony. Now hardly any west malvern locals (downstreamers) use it. we would love to get our pub back but only when its run in a responsible manner. this may sound very boring to all the people who use the lamb and view it as quirky and "bohemian" (COUGH) but please start to try and get this to SINK IN...Shouldnt be difficult as you are all university professors and world reknowned scientists....WE HAVE SUFFERED VANDALISM AND ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ON A WEEKLY BASIS FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS. THE POLICE HAVE ACTUALLY CAUGHT SOME OF THESE PEOPLE AND THEY HAD BEEN DRINKING IN THE LAMB WHILST UNDERAGE. ITS A FACT AND YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT IT.

JimFox, says...
2:40pm Fri 11 Jul 08

So sad to hear that Colin has tendered his notice and will be leaving the Lamb. Colin is one of a dying breed, a pub-landlord who runds a genuine local pub and who cares for his customers. Note the annual meal he puts on for the pensioners of the area at christmas time.
As a professional musician, working throughout the UK and Europe, I can honestly say that the Lamb is one of my favourite places to play. Frequented by all ages, the majority of whom are locals and live within a stones throw of the pub, and with an atmosphere that is second to none.

In all the time I have been coming to the Lamb to play music I have never seen any trouble there - no fights - no unruly drunkeness and certainly no vandalism.

Rather than campaign to shut this pub down it should have a preservation order slapped on it. There are not enough pubs like this anymore now that every town and city is populatated with clone pubs and theme bars that are only interested in encouraging the binge-drinking yobs and yuppies. The Lamb is a genuine "local" which Britain used to be proud of.
It is so sad that the vocal minority have caused a good landlord to call it a day, especially when everyone seems in agreement that the problems in the area cannot be directly linked to the Lamb. People of Malvern, you are losing a treasure.

mackymoo, malvern says...
1:06pm Thu 17 Jul 08

Jim, my friend, i dare say you are packed up and on your way back home hours before the problems start. Us vocal minority types will be gaining a pub not losing one as soon as the undesirable element realise that they are not welcome in there. it is a genuine shame about Colin but he is is own worst enemy i fear. A few years ago the pub was brilliant but it has gone into a rapid decline and us downhill residents have suffered as a result. Please note that i also havnt seen ny trouble in the Lamb - well apart from about 3 or so fights!!... its at 2-00am onwards that the real fun and games start. Most pro-Lamb/Colin people are safely in bed by then, in their homes which are nowhere near where the trouble is. Please try and understand our plight. we just dont want our cars vandalised and see kids fighting each other outside our houses every weekend. Some are from the Lamb (fact as stated by the police) some are not. Its sad that the Lamb acts as a beacon for these people - whether they have drunk in there or have been asked to leave...they still end up in West Malvern and cause trouble.

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