Kent & Sussex Courier, Friday 30 August 1878.

Paddock Wood. The Proposed Refreshment Room.

At the Tonbridge Petty Sessions on Tuesday, Henri Brett applied for a licence to sell intoxicating liquors, to be consumed on the premises proposed to be used as refreshment rooms at the Paddock Wood Railway Station.

The application was supported by Mr. G. D. Warner, and opposed by Mr. W. C. Cripps on behalf of the proprietors and occupiers of the two public houses on the up and down sides of the station, which had been built for the purpose of supplying refreshment for the accommodation of passengers.

Mr. Warner said these houses could not supply the passengers who would have to give up their tickets. he showed by Mr. Henry Cummings, of the Engineer Department on the South Eastern Railway, and Mr Frederick Tinkler, of the Rent Office, that a lease of these rooms had been granted to Mr. Brett, who was a foreman to Messrs. Simmons, brewers, of Reading, who held all licences on this side of the line of railway. He stated that Messrs. Simmons paid a certain rent to the Company, and a percentage on the takings, and he could prove by Mr. Richards, the Station Master, that there was a great want of accommodation.

The usual notices with proved, and Mr. Brett said the entrance to the refreshment room would be from the platform only.

Mr. Cripps said that for nearly 30 years the houses he had referred to had been considered sufficient for all purposes, and one of them actually belonged to the South Eastern Railway Company, who now wished to make capital by leasing these places to Messrs. Simmons. He commented upon the fact that since April last an Excise Licence had been obtained, and had never been put in force, and the rooms would not actually be finished until next week. This was, no doubt, and attempt to get in the thin end of the wedge. The refreshment rooms gave great facilities for Sunday drinking, for people who got on the platform under the pretence of going by rail, or something of the kind. As to the statement that passengers could not leave the platform, it was all together wrong, for it had been decided that a passenger, on the production of his ticket, could leave the platform and return to his train.

The Bench granted the application.