East Kent Times and Mail, Friday 10 September 1965.

Spent £4,000 on club - but bench refused to grant a licence.

Ramsgate licensing Justices on Monday refused an application by Mr. Roy Tutt for a licence for a club, to be called the the "Fleeta Club," which he proposed to open on the first floor of 50-60 Harbour Parade. Said chairman Mr. W. W. Wetherall:- "We are not satisfied there is demand for a licence of this nature.

Mr. S. Barber opposed the application on behalf of six seafront public houses - the "Alexandra," the "Castle Hotel," the "Refractory," the "Queen's Head," the "Admiral Harvey" and the "Royal Oak."

Mr. Tutt of Manston Road, Manston, said he had spent about £4,000 on alterations to the premises, though final alterations had been deferred until he knew whether the licence would be granted.

He intended it to be a key club - each member having a key. The only access would be from Madeira walk. He did not want an entrance on the seafront because he did not want people who had left adjacent public houses at closing time trying to get in.

"Various prominent people in the town have said they felt there was a need for something like this, in view of the hovercraft and the improvements at the harbour," he said.

The club, it was proposed, would open during normal licensing hours and the annual subscription by 5 guineas.

Questioned by Mr. Barber, Mr. Tutt said he wished to provide an amenity for people who did not want the "sing song" which seem to be prevalent in seafront pubs. The club would be quite divorced from his betting shop on the ground floor of number 60.

Mr. Oswald Charles, of the "Royal Oak," Harbour Parade, said his premises were 15-20 yards from the proposed club. He provided facilities for both types of trade with one bar for music and the other for people who did not require music.

No need.

There were six or seven licensed premises in the vicinity and he did not think there was any need for a club there.

He added:- "The licensed houses derive a great deal of benefit from the betting fraternity. We feel that people could become temporary members of the club and alternate between the club and the betting shop and that business would be lost to the licence houses.

Questioned, Mr. Charles agreed that some of the public houses closed in the winter because of lack of trade.

Mr. Edward Millington, licensee of the "Queen's Head," said the only music he had in his public house was a sort of classical background music. His trade was mainly with the yachting fraternity, and he did not think there was a need for this type of club on the seafront.