A LEADING landlord today called for a tightening of licensing laws to stop criminals becoming involved in the running of pubs.

Geoff Sutcliffe, secretary of Blackburn and District Licensed Victuallers' Association, said the standard of Blackburn's bars has dropped because relaxed vetting procedures have allowed criminals to get involved in running them.

He told an association meeting that problems were caused by licensees who, 15 years ago, would have struggled to even get in the pubs for a drink.

Police have acknowledged that vetting is less strict than a decade ago but said that people deemed unsuitable have, and will, be stopped from becoming landlords.

Magistrates grant a drinks licence to anyone so long as there are no upheld objections from the authorities -- although the granting of licences will soon come under local authority control when the law is changed.

Mr Sutcliffe, a long-standing landlord of the Rising Sun, Whalley New Road, Blackburn, said that ten years ago the vetting procedures by licensing authorities were extremely strict and that the backgrounds of partners were checked thoroughly as well as those of the prospective licensee.

But Mr Sutcliffe told the meeting that some people with criminal records were involved in running pubs in Blackburn because their partner's name was on the licence. He said that this had detrimental consequences for all licensees in and around the town.

He told the meeting: "People who have criminal records are involved in running pubs in Blackburn. Their partners have the licence, that is the problem.

"It started when some criminals were pulling the strings behind people who wanted to run licensed premises.

"The judges said police did not have the right to object because of human rights.

"That's why there are people in Blackburn running pubs now who 10 to 15 years ago would have struggled to get into premises."

After the meeting Mr Sutcliffe said: "In past years when you applied for a licence for a pub, if you weren't a married couple they wouldn't even consider you for a licence. You would be interviewed by a council licensing officer who would check your background and your partner's background.

"If you were found to have a criminal conviction you were classed as unsuitable to take the public house on.

"It is down to the changes in legislation. The police cannot object to somebody applying for licence if partner or spouses have criminal record because of human rights legislation." Town centre Sgt Phil Davies said: "A criminal conviction doesn't mean that they should be stopped from holding a licence. But we always look carefully at each applicant.

"If the conviction is recent, serious or the applicant is considered to have criminal connections in the town then we would object and we would expect the magistrates to support us."

Sgt Davies said that currently there were no particular difficulties with licensees in the town centre.

Linda Fox, who has run The Jubilee in Blakey Moor for 19 years, said: "They let anybody run pubs these days who haven't got a clue what they are doing."

Karen Riley, of Sam's Bar in Higher Church Street, said: "I have seen people go into pubs with their redundancy money and come out months later because they can't hack it."

A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokesman said the council was not involved in the issuing of licences but it would be within the next 12 months when legislation brings the issuing of licences under council control.