Wellingborough venue surrenders licence amid police investigations
Officers called for a licensing review on a Cambridge Street bar
Last updated 28th Jun 2024
A restaurant and bar has surrendered its licence amid police investigations into allegations of rape from two underage females who drank at the venue.
Northamptonshire Police called for a licensing review for Pasha Shawarma, on Cambridge Street in Wellingborough, under the ‘prevention of crime and disorder’ and ‘protection of children from harm’.
The document on North Northamptonshire Council’s (NNC) website states: “The Review relates to an investigation regarding two allegations of rape on two females one aged 16 and one aged 17 and subsequent difficulties experienced by Northamptonshire Police when engaging with the premises.”
A statement from a police constable said that the offences did not occur at the premises, but that the two teenage girls and the alleged suspects were inside Pasha Shawarma and left the venue together in the early hours of February 25, 2024.
It added that detectives attended the site the same day to try and obtain CCTV evidence from inside. When asked a member of staff said they did not have access to the CCTV system and would not provide details of the manager.
Despite repeated contact over a number of weeks with staff members and the premises’ licence holder to send over their CCTV footage of that night, it was never shared with Northamptonshire Police. This was against the conditions of their licence at the time of the incident.
The premises licence also stipulated that the venue was required to close at 11:30pm on the date the allegations took place. CCTV from within the immediate area of the premises shows the two females arriving and entering at midnight and then leaving at 03:18am.
The police report summarised: “The premises should have been closed to the public at the time the females attended and stayed on the premises consuming alcohol until they left some three hours later.
“The premises licence holder and designated premises supervisor does not have proper control of the premises to the extent of not knowing who works at the premises, when the premises is open or closed and at the very least the terms of the condition relating to CCTV.
“Staff at the premises being un-cooperative in assisting with the criminal investigation.
“Northamptonshire Police are asking that consideration to the premises licence being revoked in the first instance.”
On Tuesday, June 18, the licence holder notified NNC that they wished to surrender their licence with immediate effect. This was accepted and the venue therefore has no licence.
The series of events came before the council’s licensing committee on Tuesday, June 25, to note their decision to surrender. The licence holder of Pasha Shawarma was not in attendance.
NNC’s licensing enforcement officer also added that the venue has now been closed since the police submitted the review application at the beginning of May.
Pasha Shawarma has been approached for comment.