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ERITH: Cross Keys loses licence after horses taken into the pub

7:00am Thursday 2nd September 2010 in


A TOWN centre pub shut down by police after more than 100 travellers and their horses caused mayhem, has now lost its drinks licence.

Members of Bexley Council’s licensing sub-committee took the decision after seeing CCTV footage showing a horse being ridden into the bar at the Cross Keys pub in Erith High Street.

The sub-committee dismissed protestations by licensee Derek McKenzie that he had the situation under control and would not allow a similar incident to occur again.

Bexley police licensing officer PC Eddy Boston said the incident on August 15, in which up to five horses were taken into the pub and horses and ponies-and-traps were driven along Erith High Street against the flow of traffic, was just one of several.

He told last Friday’s licensing sub-committee hearing, complaints had been received about large numbers of travellers drinking at the Cross Keys, and horses being taken into the bar in April, June and in July.

PC Boston said technical problems with the council’s CCTV system prevented him showing the incident on August 15 which led to the pub’s closure, but showed film of a similar situation at the pub in June, where a woman is seen riding a horse into the pub.

He said after the June incident, police had spoken to Mr McKenzie and offered help if he was having problems with travellers, but Mr McKenzie said he could deal with it and it was under control.

Mr McKenzie, 68, said horses brought into the bar were only inside for a matter of seconds because he had forced them out again.

He said he had not demanded the travellers leave because he did not want to create a flashpoint and have his pub smashed up.

He said the travellers had caused no trouble in the pub and pointed out there was no evidence of underage drinking.

Mr McKenzie’s barrister Steven Whale said the police and council had powers to stop the horses racing in the High Street, but had chosen not to take any action.

Mr McKenzie offered extra conditions to keep his licence but the sub-committee said they had no confidence they would be kept.

Comments(33)

Citygirl83 says...
9:53am Thu 2 Sep 10

That poor horse, you can see it is distressed, should have reared up and thrown the stupid bint off its back,

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r6babe says...
11:10am Thu 2 Sep 10

I would like to take a whip to her and beat her into doing something she is scared about. They should not be allowed to have animals as they clearly treat then badley - where were the RSPCA? The poor horse is terrified.

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mum2kids says...
1:54pm Thu 2 Sep 10

I bet she thought she was really clever! Inbred ignoramus, should all be steralised to prevent future idiots being produced.

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dablue says...
2:04pm Thu 2 Sep 10

Why do we put up with these people, they steal land and property, crime rates go up in the area, they do damage and now a perfectly honest landlord loses his income because a PC council who do nothing to help decide it's his fault that 100 gipsy's decended on his pub. Absolute farce !!
Even the police are scared of gipsy's but only because they have become a lawless society through lack of action in the past.

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anna236 says...
2:16pm Thu 2 Sep 10

I hope someone has reported this to the RSPCA, not only is that girl whipping the poor horse, but others are pulling the reins and that horrible kid at the end of the video is kicking the horse in the mouth. What is wrong with these people, how are they getting away with treating animals like this. For pity sake leave them alone. Why is this animal cruelty not being reported, this is more important than the pub losing its licence?

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porkpie says...
2:18pm Thu 2 Sep 10

r6babe wrote:
I would like to take a whip to her and beat her into doing something she is scared about. They should not be allowed to have animals as they clearly treat then badley - where were the RSPCA? The poor horse is terrified.
RSPCA - Are rubbish, they're to busy going after one man who killed a grey squirrel.

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lisainkent says...
2:33pm Thu 2 Sep 10

Good - This place & the people it attracts are both chavy.

Also hope someone beats that idiot girl as she did the poor horse!

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reasonable75 says...
3:38pm Thu 2 Sep 10

Landlord "Sorry mate, you can't come in here with that filthy, smelly animal - it'll sh*t everywhere and upset the customers"
Horse "Sorry, I didn't realise, I'll take her outside".

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porkpie says...
4:24pm Thu 2 Sep 10

reasonable75 wrote:
Landlord "Sorry mate, you can't come in here with that filthy, smelly animal - it'll sh*t everywhere and upset the customers" Horse "Sorry, I didn't realise, I'll take her outside".
Brilliant. Just a sham that none of that lot in the video will being reading any of this.

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Gooner1976 says...
4:39pm Thu 2 Sep 10

Yet another example of how bad this Country has become! The so called minority groups have ruined the Country beyond repair. Luckily the Government also shipped in a few million foreign gypsies so we couldn't be seen as discriminating against the ones born here!!!!

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Gypo says...
7:20pm Thu 2 Sep 10

My horse never ever liked the place anyway, the clientele were rowdy and beer was always a tad warm. We both prefered The Belvoir, a short trot away.

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Ears says...
8:25pm Thu 2 Sep 10

What a beautiful horse can't stand to see her treated this way. Maybe NS can send this video to the nationals and we can start a witchhunt for that piece of scum whipping her like they did for the cat in a bin women. See how she likes a taste of public hatred.

Gypo The Belvoir shut down ages ago and was sold for redevelopment.

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reasonable75 says...
8:55pm Thu 2 Sep 10

It also looked like a kid (?) kicked the horse several times after it had been tied up

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Sedster says...
10:12pm Thu 2 Sep 10

I lived in Erith for about 30 years....glad I don't live there anymore! I seriously hope the peeps in the video are tracked down and prosecuted....which I doubt will happen! - thing is....some travellers, are lovely people.....but as with all walks of life...there are some..that give others a bad name...

Policing in Erith was the same when I lived there....non-existen
t, but where I live now..they will send 4 police units to apprehend someone with no tax.....sod the burglaries....muggin
gs...this guy has NOT GOT ANY TAX! lol!

ho hum!

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Mangetout says...
9:20am Fri 3 Sep 10

porkpie wrote:
r6babe wrote:
I would like to take a whip to her and beat her into doing something she is scared about. They should not be allowed to have animals as they clearly treat then badley - where were the RSPCA? The poor horse is terrified.
RSPCA - Are rubbish, they're to busy going after one man who killed a grey squirrel.
The RSPCA hasn't bothered to take action against the woman who threw the cat in the wheelybin. Perhaps they should re-name themselves RSPCS, the last 'S' standing for squirrel.

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RWOO says...
10:33am Fri 3 Sep 10

Well done for shutting the pub down. You shouldn't be allowed to run one, if you allow the appalling mayhem that was seen on the cctv cameras.

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Lulabelle says...
11:11am Fri 3 Sep 10

Looks like the little sh*t that kicks the horse at the end, spits on at it too... how very sad...

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nicely says...
11:33am Fri 3 Sep 10

Nothing but tramps, and the little sh*t did spit at the end, all of them have no respect for nothing and no-one bunch of losers....

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noseyparker19531 says...
4:09pm Fri 3 Sep 10

A pub full of wasters being harrassed by another load of wasters and all that happens is that the landlord loses his livelyhood or his means of feeding his wifes and his own drinking problems. And why, it will suit the council very nicely thank you. Erith is a much smaller place with much fewer public houses than Bexleyheath which has virtually daily alcohol-related issues yet their pubs remain open alongside all the licensed restaurants/eateries and any other establishment that fancies selling alcohol. I know Mr Landlord and travelling community, go to the Broadway and you can all meet up there and enjoy yourselves and no-one will care a hoot.

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daveydavey says...
5:54pm Fri 3 Sep 10

porkpie wrote:
reasonable75 wrote:
Landlord "Sorry mate, you can't come in here with that filthy, smelly animal - it'll sh*t everywhere and upset the customers" Horse "Sorry, I didn't realise, I'll take her outside".
Brilliant. Just a sham that none of that lot in the video will being reading any of this.
I doubt very much any of the pikeys can read or write anything past signing their bail forms or filling in benefit claim forms.

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JamesKent says...
9:47pm Sat 4 Sep 10

I feel sorry for gypsies because these people give them q bad name. I bet these people aren't even gipsies. I doubt they have blood linage to true traditional gipsies who would no doubt be horrified at the way these people behave in their name. These are just gangs of ignorant and unpleasant people.

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GODUPERE2 says...
11:39am Sun 5 Sep 10

Read More about Erith on the new website for the town. Wonder if this is on there?

Oh this great diverse nation of ours!

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apak24 says...
9:21pm Sun 5 Sep 10

porkpie wrote:
r6babe wrote: I would like to take a whip to her and beat her into doing something she is scared about. They should not be allowed to have animals as they clearly treat then badley - where were the RSPCA? The poor horse is terrified.
RSPCA - Are rubbish, they're to busy going after one man who killed a grey squirrel.
So what are you saying? its ok to smash a squirrel till you kill it but not a horse? anyone whoever they are that does something towards a animal is a **** and they should feel the full force of the law. Not just pick and choice.

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xmfcx says...
9:30pm Sun 5 Sep 10

I think these people are scum they walk arouond think they own everything, now they have taken a mans livelyhood away for there cruelty and stupid behaviour....if u think there cruel to the poor horse in this cctv go on The Sun website they actually pull a yound ponys tail and kick it while its mother is trying to protect him its soo sad to see them animals.. and the little **** who spat is disgusting little boy obviously hasnt had any normal upbringing....RSPCA are scared of Travellers they should go in there with police and just get the horses they dont deserve animals...well there children are animals

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porkpie says...
1:02pm Mon 6 Sep 10

apak24 wrote:
porkpie wrote:
r6babe wrote: I would like to take a whip to her and beat her into doing something she is scared about. They should not be allowed to have animals as they clearly treat then badley - where were the RSPCA? The poor horse is terrified.
RSPCA - Are rubbish, they're to busy going after one man who killed a grey squirrel.
So what are you saying? its ok to smash a squirrel till you kill it but not a horse? anyone whoever they are that does something towards a animal is a **** and they should feel the full force of the law. Not just pick and choice.
Shut up you fool and stick to calling everyone racists and then not backing it up. Go look up the story, then come back and try starting on me then. Otherwise just slide back under your Woolwich rock.
It’s people like you that think the sun shines out the rear of the RSPCA.

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HayesMum says...
1:06pm Mon 6 Sep 10

oh my god, I can't believe what I've just seen. This country is going downhill fast.

The cctv camera moved round to watch so someone must have been witnessing that live, why wasn't something done ?
Closing down the pub won't change anything, they'll just go somewhere else.

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ksc says...
5:24pm Mon 6 Sep 10

HayesMum wrote:
oh my god, I can't believe what I've just seen. This country is going downhill fast.

The cctv camera moved round to watch so someone must have been witnessing that live, why wasn't something done ?
Closing down the pub won't change anything, they'll just go somewhere else.
In answer to your question, the reason nothing was done by the camera man or anyone witnessing this disgusting episode is simple, these people are dangerous, nasty, cruel individuals who would treat people who were to stand up to them a lot worse than they were treating that poor horse. If the police like to turn a convenient blind eye to everything travellers do, there must be a reason, the reason is they like breathing without the use of breathing tubes, a drip, and a hospital bed.

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Marty1979 says...
12:49pm Tue 7 Sep 10

ksc wrote:
HayesMum wrote: oh my god, I can't believe what I've just seen. This country is going downhill fast. The cctv camera moved round to watch so someone must have been witnessing that live, why wasn't something done ? Closing down the pub won't change anything, they'll just go somewhere else.
In answer to your question, the reason nothing was done by the camera man or anyone witnessing this disgusting episode is simple, these people are dangerous, nasty, cruel individuals who would treat people who were to stand up to them a lot worse than they were treating that poor horse. If the police like to turn a convenient blind eye to everything travellers do, there must be a reason, the reason is they like breathing without the use of breathing tubes, a drip, and a hospital bed.
I'm sure the police would like to do something, but their hands are tied. If they were to arrest one or more, and if the case actually go to court, then all they would get is a fine (which they wouldnt pay) or community service (which they wouldnt do) so why should the police waste there time?
Bear in mind the type of "person" we are talking about, there is an area in St Mary Cray where the fire brigade will not go without a police escort and in the same road a doctor was called out to treat a sick CHILD and had their car trashed & drugs stolen.

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pp420 says...
4:23am Wed 15 Sep 10

How do i view the video please?

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neonis says...
9:28am Wed 22 Sep 10

shame that horse didnt throw her off then stamp all over the **** head, and kick that little b*****d that kicked it in the mouth right in its scumbag face

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HayesMum says...
7:08am Sun 26 Sep 10

neonis wrote:
shame that horse didnt throw her off then stamp all over the **** head, and kick that little b*****d that kicked it in the mouth right in its scumbag face
...but then they'd probably get compensation

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neonis says...
10:21am Tue 28 Sep 10

HayesMum wrote:
neonis wrote:
shame that horse didnt throw her off then stamp all over the **** head, and kick that little b*****d that kicked it in the mouth right in its scumbag face
...but then they'd probably get compensation
yeah,too true!

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lord righteous says...
8:43pm Wed 29 Sep 10

All 'travellers' (pikey/gypsy) are nothing but poncing,thieving scum.Out for all they can get,out for anything free and out to cause trouble.
But,they are a minority and have 'ethnic' rights!
Utter bull... they (all pikeys) should at least have there benefits stopped, after all, they are 'voluntarily' unemployed as no right minded person would employ them,they should all be neutered and we should be allowed to throw stones at them!
Nothing better for them.

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