Are the Sentinel & Police building up for a story?

[Deleted]

Does make you wonder with the timing of this crap.

www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Police-monitor-pubs-rowdy-Stoke-City-supports-come/article-570855-detail/article.html


Police monitor pubs as rowdy Stoke City supports come under fire
Friday, December 26, 2008, 09:20

Comment on this story

PUBS in a town centre are being monitored by police following complaints by traders about rowdy fans after televised showings of Stoke City matches.
Staffordshire Police has received reports of anti-social behaviour at Newcastle pubs The Bulls Vaults, Ikon and The Albion.
Sergeant Mark Speedman, from Newcastle Neighbourhood Policing Unit (NPU), said: "We are aware of complaints and are working hard to resolve these.
"Recent intelligence suggests only two of the pubs are now showing the games and our licensing team is reviewing both venues' licences with regards to the showing of such matches."
Both The Bulls Vaults and Ikon advertise that they screen regular Stoke matches. Pubs broadcasting Premier League games at 3pm on Saturdays in England have attracted allegations that unless permissions are granted, they may be infringing copyright of holders BSkyB and Setanta.
Doug Morris, president of Newcastle Chamber of Trade, said problems had occurred weekly since the start of the football season.
He said: "Fans have been shouting, making lewd comments to women and putting people off shopping in the town."
Newcastle MP Paul Farrelly has written to Newcastle Borough Council demanding action.
He said: "Other businesses are losing income by either shutting up shop early or because people are being put off coming to town."
A spokesman for Newcastle Borough Council said the pubs' licences did not prevent them showing live matches.
Ikon licensee Dan Maddox said there had been no violence at his cafe bar during matches, covered by French satellite channel Canal Plus whenever possible, and he had seen no problems in the town centre.
Mr Maddox, pictured, who is chairman of the Newcastle Pubwatch scheme, said: "We have shown football matches here for the past five years. We have always conducted them in the safest way possible. Why has it suddenly become an issue?
"Traders have probably seen a drop in trade when the matches are shown. I ask them to be aware that more people are attending games on a Saturday afternoon, off the back of their local team's promotion to the Premiership.
"Not everyone can travel miles away to see their team play. I take great pride in the fact they can watch the matches."
Police licensing manager Dave Wright said pub licences could be reviewed in the future if crime or disorder increased.
Managers of The Bulls Vaults and

[McLovin]

I read it and yawned.

[stonestokie!]

oh well

[robinreliant]

I guess it was dreamt up as a last ditch reason why their takings are down, since Stoke achieved Premier League status (see the comment from Dan Maddox of Ikon - he seems to have his head on the right way up !), before they call the administrators in ?

I figure it's been a delusion of some of these shopkeepers that Stoke fans actually shop on a Saturday afternoon; stupid f*ckers !

[tsm]

"Fans have been shouting, making lewd comments to women and putting people off shopping in the town. Urchins have been spotted shirking their chimney sweeping in favour of these "football matches" and several local ladies have been spotted with less than 4 layers of petticoats! It's an outrage, I blame Stoke City"

LOL. Doug Morris, president of Newcastle Chamber of Trade and Victorian timetraveller.

[headsgoup]

The Sentinel reporters are utter tripe and this is all they can come up with.

[McLovin]

I watch some of the games quite regullary in castle when I finish at 4, I get in to catch the 2nd half. I've never seen any lewd comments and if celebrating a premiership victory or a point at anfield by singing Stoke songs is putting people off shopping... It's absolute crap. I also noticed a comment in the paper about incidents "during the match". Surely Stoke supporters would be in the pub?

Oh, and checking the licences AGAIN. My god, they do it every week near enough. The guy in the Ironmarket doesn't like it because people are actually watching the game rather than sitting in his boozer watching the results come in on sky sports..