A Gravesend pub where traces of cocaine were found in the toilets has been closed down, after staff repeatedly ignored warnings they were breaching its licence by staying open and trading after hours.

The New Inn was first investigated in March last year, and bosses agreed to shut the watering hole until several issues identified by Kent Police and Gravesham Council had been fixed.

However when officers made a follow-up visit in July, they found the pub was still staying open after hours, had insufficient door staff, and a drugs test suggested cocaine had been taken on the premises.

Police reviewed the pub's licence concerning crime, safety and public nuisance – and following a review on December 14, its hours were reduced considerably. The bar supervisor was also changed.

Just days later on Saturday, December 19 – a licencing officer found inaccurate records of the door staff's working hours, evidence that cocaine had been taken in the toilet, and eight other breaches.

The pub's license was surrendered and the business closed down on Monday, December 21.

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PC Clare Cossar, licensing officer from the North Division Licensing Team, said: "I am pleased the licence holder took the decision to surrender their licence.

"Licensing officers made several attempts to address issues raised by the community with the pub's management and designated premise supervisor before taking any formal action.

"Unfortunately the first review of the licence did not achieve a marked improvement and as a result we were forced to take further action.

"I hope this result reminds other licence holders of their responsibilities to actively promote the licensing objectives and, more importantly, that the police will take action against any other premise found to be behaving outside of the law."