The Statutory Licensing Sub-Committee of Durham County Council was scheduled to convene on Friday 17 April 2026. The primary item on the agenda was a review of the premises licence for The Sweet Trap, located at 30 Potto Street, Shotton Colliery, Durham, following a closure order issued by Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court.

Review of Premises Licence: The Sweet Trap

The meeting was scheduled to consider an application for the review of the premises licence for The Sweet Trap, 30 Potto Street, Shotton Colliery, Durham DH6 2LA¹. This review was triggered by a Closure Order issued by Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court on 1 April 2026, pursuant to Section 80 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014². The Closure Order mandated that the premises remain closed to all persons for a period of three months.

Under Section 167(1) of the Licensing Act 2003³, when a closure order is made in relation to premises with a premises licence, the relevant licensing authority is obliged to review that licence. The report pack indicated that Durham Constabulary had applied for the closure order on the grounds that the use of the premises had resulted in nuisance to members of the public and that there had been, or was likely to be, disorder near the premises associated with its use.

The premises licence for The Sweet Trap currently permits the sale of alcohol for off-sales only between Monday and Sunday, from 08:00 to 23:00 hrs, with the premises also open during these hours. Mr Charles Sproat is listed as the premises licence holder and designated premises supervisor.

The report pack detailed that a seven-day consultation period had concluded on 8 April 2026, during which Durham Constabulary submitted a representation. The parties involved in the hearing were scheduled to be Mr Charles Sproat (Premises Licence Holder and Designated Premises Supervisor), represented by Mr Matthew Forster of Mincoff Solicitors, and Sergeant Caroline Dickenson of Durham Constabulary, acting as a Responsible Authority.

The Sub-Committee was to consider several options, including taking no further action, modifying or adding conditions to the licence, excluding a licensable activity, removing the Designated Premises Supervisor, suspending the licence for up to three months, or revoking the licence entirely. The Sub-Committee was recommended to give appropriate weight to steps that would promote the licensing objectives, the representations presented by all parties, Durham County Council's Statement of Licensing Policy⁴, and the Guidance issued to local authorities under Section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003⁵.

The report pack included extensive background information, including a location plan and Google Map images of the premises, a copy of the premises licence, the Closure Order itself, and a detailed representation from Durham Constabulary. The Constabulary's representation outlined a history of concerns dating back to December 2024, including failed test purchases for illicit tobacco, seizure of counterfeit goods, and numerous reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB) linked to the premises since its opening in October 2025. These ASB incidents involved large groups of youths congregating, illegal use of off-road vehicles, noise nuisance, intimidation, criminal damage, and repeated failures to comply with police requests for CCTV footage. The Constabulary expressed a lack of confidence that the Premises Licence Holder and Designated Premises Supervisor could uphold their responsibilities moving forward.