Camden News: Ben Kinsella

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Camden News - by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 28 August 2008

Licence review for bar in murder case

THE bar at the centre of a murder investigation into Ben Kinsella’s death had its licence reviewed by licensing chiefs yesterday (Wednesday) in the wake of the tragedy.
Ben, 16, had been partying at Shillibeers in North End Road, Holloway, to celebrate the end of his GCSEs in June when he was involved in a scuffle inside and ejected from the bar. He was stabbed minutes later at the junction of York Way and North Road.
Police Sgt Graham Henry told an Islington licensing panel that detectives had called for a review of Shillibeers’ licence after Ben’s death over concerns that door staff had allowed in a large number of underage drinkers and then threw them out together – despite the fact that they were arguing.
He said that both the victim and suspects had been evicted from the club. However, both police and councillors praised the bar owner, Roger Payne, for his co-operation since the tragedy and acknowledged that an outside promoter hosted the night. They accepted Shillibeers was not seen as a teenage drinking destination.
Mr Payne said: “I spoke to my manager and they were shocked – we’ve never had this happen before. Why we were targeted as the after-GCSE party I don’t know.”
A manager has been sacked since the incident, he said.
Yesterday, a licensing panel in neighbouring Islington ruled customers must be inside by 10pm and that outside promoters were banned. The pub’s licence to sell alcohol was unchanged and remains until midnight throughout the week and 2am on Friday and Saturday.

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If traders have been warned about the consequences and still ignored them in this way they should be named and shamed. It's disgraceful.
Georgina Parry