THE owner of a pub and nightclub in Rossendale says he and his family have been victimised by the police and council after their entertainment licence was refused.

Paul Stannard, a joint partner in the Royal Hotel and Club Royale in Waterfoot with his wife Judith and mother Maria, alleges that the council did not look fully at the application before turning it down.

He said: "The application was for an entertainment licence on all three floors including the bar, function room and nightclub.

"Now we can't even have karaoke in the bar and can only have private functions in the room upstairs. We can have a single artist entertaining, but not a duo and no dancing on Sundays.

"I sent the council a cheque for the licence in May and it was cashed, but I don't know when the licence expired because I have never received a hard copy.

"The council department is in disarray and hasn't had a head of environmental health since 1999, just part-timers filling posts."

He said he had already had to lay off 13 employees, including DJs, bar staff and cleaners and has even cut down on the newspapers he buys for the hotel to save £125 a month.

Paul said he believed the police had deliberately built up a case against his pub and not all the problems in Waterfoot had been caused by drinkers in the club. He said: "When I came to Rossendale in 1974 I attended a Licensed Victuallers' Association dinner and they greeted me by saying, 'Welcome to the land of after time'". He said many pubs flouted their licensing hours which he had been trying to obtain by official means. He could still open the Club Royale as a private members club or for private functions but only until 11pm. No firm decision had yet been made about that idea. The family were taking legal advice to determine the best way forward.

Chairman of the health and housing committee Coun Stephen Birtwell said: "We were aware the licence was for all three floors but the same reasons for refusal applied. We did not think it was suitable to grant it."

He said Mr Stannard's claims that there had been no head of environmental health since 1999 were "total nonsense" but added that the manager had left two weeks ago and interviews were being held next week for a replacement. He admitted there had been staffing problems in the department but agency staff has been employed during that time and the three vacant posts were being advertised.

Coun Birtwell said: "The onus on keeping licences up to date is on the licensee. I can't see the cheque he sent being cashed for an entertainment licence without it being accompanied by an application."

He emphasised that after-hours drinking was a police matter but his officers patrolled entertainment premises to ensure they adhered to their licence.