Folkestone Herald 26 January 1946.

Notice.

To The Clerk to the Licensing Justices of the Borough of Folkestone.

To the Chief Constable and the Officer-in-Charge Kent County Constabulary, Folkestone Division.

ToThe Clerk to the Rating Authority of the said Borough and to all whom it may concern.

I, Frederick Henry Morgan Ralph, now residing at 48, Bouverie Road West in the said Borough, Company Director, do hereby give notice that it is my intention to apply at the General Annual Licensing Meeting for the said Borough, to be holden at the Town Hall in the said Borough on the 13th day of February, 1946, for the grant to me of a Justices' Licence authorising me to apply for and hold an Excise Licence to sell by retail any intoxicating liquor which may be sold under a publican’s licence for consumption either on or off premises situate at No. 2, Radnor Park Road and No. 84, Broadmead Road in the said Borough and known as The Central Hotel.

The owners of the said premises are myself, the said Frederick Henry Morgan Ralph and Violet Ada Ralph.

Given under my hand this 19th day of January, 1946.

F.H.M. Ralph.

Folkestone Herald 16 February 1946.

Annual Licensing Sessions.

The Magistrates declined to grant a licence in respect of the Central Hotel opposite the Central Station.

There was opposition from three sources. The application was opposed by Mr. Rutley Mowll, on behalf of Messrs. Mackeson and Co. Ltd., brewers, of Hythe; Mr. B.H. Bonniface, representing the licensees of the red Cow, the Bouverie Arms, the Bouverie Hotel and the Gun; and Mr. H. Gardiner Wheeler, representing Miss Duncan and Miss Evelegh, 4, Radnor Park Road, and Mr. Harold Wheeler, 6, Radnor Park Road.

Mr. B.H. Waddy, who made the application on behalf of Mr. Frederick Henry Ralph, said Mr. Ralph was a director of the Queen's, Burlington and Grand Hotels, Folkestone. Mr. Ralph and his family had been connected with the Central Hotel for many years; from 1922 – 28 it had been run by his mother. The latter died in 1928, since when Mr. Ralph and his sister had carried on the premises. The hotel had been run without a licence. In 1940 the hotel was closed down. It was now proposed to re-open it. It was also proposed that Mr. Ralph should be a director of a company to be formed, and that the licence should be transferred to a resident manager. There were no fully-licensed premises within a quarter of a mile. “We want facilities for a modern, attractive and prosperous hotel”, Mr. Waddy said. “There is no hotel with licensing facilities near the main station in Folkestone. I cannot think of any other town in Kent where you can get out of a station and cannot find such facilities. This licence, if it is granted, will enable Folkestone to have what is enjoyed by practically all other towns in Kent, a hotel near the station. We want to run a good class hotel close to the station, with first class facilities for residents and others who might want to come in for refreshments”. Mr. Waddy continued that Mr. Bonniface was representing a number of licensed premises, none of which was within a quarter of a mile of the Central Hotel. He believed that not one was a hotel.

Mr. Bonniface said there was the Bouverie Hotel.

Dealing with the opposition presented by Mr. H.G. Wheeler, Mr. Waddy said it appeared to affect two houses next to the hotel. It would be a fallacy to suggest that the Central Hotel would become a gin palace, or that anything of that nature would be allowed to depreciate the neighbouring property.

Mr. Ralph, giving evidence, confirmed the statements made by Mr. Waddy. He said that without a licence it would be, in his opinion, quite impossible for the hotel to be run.

Replying to Mr. Mowll, Mr. Ralph said he conducted the business through a manager for 12 years without a licence. They lost money for seven years. Before the war he lost a lot of money, and during the war. He was on the point of applying for a licence when war broke out.

Mr. Mowll: I suggest that you want to get in from of any new town planning which might take place.

Mr. Ralph: I know nothing of town planning.

Mr. Bonniface: Will you register this company whether this licence is granted or not?

Mr. Ralph: It is very uncertain at present. We might.

Mr. H.W. Wheeler told the Magistrates that he had a petition signed by 56 residents in the area of the Central Hotel opposing the licence.

Mr. Ralph: I am not surprised. Some people will sign almost anything. How many people are in the area who have not signed the petition?

Benjamin Stewart, an auctioneer and estate agent with 34 years' experience, said he had received numerous enquiries regarding hotel accommodation, many of which asked how one could arrive at the main station and get a meal. If a licence for the Central Hotel were granted he thought it would fill a long-felt want.

Mr. Mowll asked the Magistrates not to grant the licence because in the near future there must be a town planning scheme for Folkestone, having special regard to the position of other licensed premises. A number of such premises had been destroyed or damaged, and it would be necessary for the Town Planning Committee, in conjunction with the Bench, to consider the re-allocation of any new licences in Folkestone.

Mr. Boniface suggested that if Mr. Ralph and his family had successfully carried on the business from 1922 until 1940 without a licence, it could now be continued without one. “I suggest that the application has been made much too early”, said Mr. Bonniface.

Mr. H.G. Wheeler called Mr. H.W. Wheeler, who said he had no objection to drinks being served with meals at the hotel.

Mr. Waddy: Would it depreciate that property if I had two glasses of sherry outside the property instead of inside?

Mr. H.W. Wheeler said he had not seen a plan of the proposed bar.

Mr. Waddy: You have actually organised this petition, particularly with regard to the bar, without seeing the plan or describing it to your constituents?

Mr. Wheeler: I have had no opportunity of seeing the plans.

Mr. Waddy: If you had asked you could have seen the plans.

The Mayor (Ald. W. Hollands), who presided, said the application for a licence would not be granted.

Folkestone Herald 2 March 1946.

Letter.

Sir,—Many suggestions have been made recently by official and semi-official bodies on the subject of how to attract visitors - both our own nationals and those from other countries – to our spas and resorts. What seems to be a superb example of “How Not To Do It” appears in the pages of your issue of February 16th in the report of the refusal - following the Mayor’s pat on the back of the licensees and general public for their decorous behaviour during the past year - of the Licensing Justices to grant a licence to a well known Folkestone hotelier in respect of the only hotel conveniently situated to the Central Station. A firm of brewers and the licensees of the nearest licensed premises - quite a Sabbath Day’s journey distant for any bona fide traveller - arose in a body and opposed the application.

The Southern Railway, on the other hand, which from its proximity might have been expected to lose a little business in its refreshment rooms, did not join the opponents, feeling possibly that everything that can be done to provide for the comfort and convenience of those whom its trains bring to Folkestone should be encouraged.

There seems to be little hope that this country in general and Folkestone - enjoying an exceptionally favourable situation - in particular, can ever become popular with visitors from the Continent until the present licensing laws, which encourage cranks and a dog-in-a-manger attitude on the part of rival interests, are abolished and we take a leaf from the law books of the land only 20 miles south, which permits all catering establishments and places of public entertainment - be they Hotel Grand Babylon, Pin-Table Palace, or the equivalent of Ye Olde Tea Shoppe - to possess licences, as long as the authorities are satisfied that they are responsibly and properly conducted.

T. KENNY.

1, Christ Church Road,

Folkestone.

Folkestone Herald 15 March 1947.

Local News.

A wine licence was granted to the Central Hotel at the adjourned Folkestone Licensing Sessions on Wednesday. A condition of the granting of the licence was that there should be no “off” sales.

Mr. Walter Bateman, resident manager of the Central Hotel, making the application, was represented by Mr. Frank Whitworth, instructed by F.J. Hall and Company.

Mr. B.H. Bonniface withdrew opposition on behalf of the management of a number of public houses on the applicant undertaking that no “off” sales would be made.

The Central Hotel, said Mr. Whitworth, had been requisitioned in 1941 and derequisitioned in December, 1945. In accordance with the Government's policy, it had been possible to carry out repairs. Large sums had been spent on decorations and it was hoped to open the hotel for Easter. Their application for a full licence a year ago had been refused because the Licensing Planning Committee, having just been formed, had not had time to fully consider the position. That committee, at its meeting on March 7th, had registered no objection to the application before the court. The management would, no doubt, be applying for a full licence in the future.

The Chairman (Engineer Rear-Admiral L.J. Stephens) announced that the licence would be granted on the conditions stated.

Folkestone Herald 22 January 1949.

Notice.

To: The Clerk to the Licensing Justices of the Borough of Folkestone.

The Superintendent of Police Kent County Constabulary (Folkestone “J” Division).

The Clerk to the Rating Authority of the said Borough and

To All whom it may concern.

I, Walter Bateman, now residing at The Central Hotel, Radnor Park Road in the said Borough, Hotel Manager, do hereby give notice that it is my intention to apply at the General Annual Licensing Meeting for the said Borough to be holden at The Town Hall in the said Borough on the 9th day of February 1949 for the grant to me of a Justices Licence authorising me to apply for and hold an Excise Licence to sell by retail any intoxicating liquor which may be sold under a publican’s licence for consumption either on or off the premises situate at No. 2, Radnor Park Road and Number 84, Broadmead Road in the said Borough and aforesaid and of which premises The Central Hotel (Folkestone) Limited are the owners and for which Company I am The Resident Manager.

Given under my hand this 17th day of January, 1949.

W. BATEMAN.

Folkestone Herald 12 February 1949.

Annual Licensing Sessions.

Application for a licence in respect of the Central Hotel was adjourned for a month at the request of Mr. W.J. Mason, who said it would be necessary to obtain certificates from the Licensing Planning Committee. Those certificates had been received, but the Committee felt that instead of new licences being granted licences which were in suspense should be purchased. Negotiations had been entered into for that purpose, and were going on very nicely.

Folkestone Herald 16 July 1949.

Local News.

Orders for the special removal of full licences from derelict public houses in the Harbour district to hotels in the centre of the town were approved at the Folkestone Transfer Sessions on Wednesday. All the licences had been in suspense.

The licence of the South Foreland, Seagate Street, was removed to the Clifton Hotel, Clifton Gardens; the licence of the Alexandra Hotel, Harbour Street, to the Carlton Hotel; and the licence of the Royal Oak Inn, North Street, to the Central Hotel, Radnor Park Road.

Mr. W.J. Mason, applying for the removal of the full licence from the Royal Oak to the Central Hotel, said it had been in suspense. Application had been made to the Licensing Planning Committee and subsequently arrangements were made with Messrs. Fremlins for the purchase of the full licence, subject to it being transferred in accordance with the Order made by the Planning Minister under licensing planning removals. Plans for alterations to the Central Hotel had been approved.

The Clerk (Mr. C. Rootes) said the order for the removal had been approved by the Ministry.

Mr. Walter Bateman, manager of the Central Hotel, said it was hoped that the alterations to the building would be completed by the end of the month. It was intended to use the licence in the hotel until the building work had been completed.

Folkestone Herald 5 December 1953.

Local News.

When Joseph Harold Minden (37), of Chadwell Heath Lane, Chadwell Heath, was charged at Folkestone Magistrates' Court on Saturday with thefts from two Folkestone hotels, the police stated they had other enquiries to make concerning accused. Minden, who was remanded in custody until yesterday, was charged with breaking and entering the Glendale Hotel, Cheriton Gardens, last Friday and stealing a handbag and contents of the value of £3 16/- belonging to Edith Charlotte Davey, and on the same day stealing cutlery worth 3/- belonging to Lilian Miller, of the Central Hotel.

P. Sgt. Dolbear said in consequence of a call received at the police station at 7.40 p.m. on Friday he went to the Avondale Hotel, Sandgate Road, where he saw Minden run down the front steps and make off in the direction of the town. Witness said he caught defendant and returned with him to the hotel where he saw the proprietress. She said “That is the man who I found on the first floor of my hotel, and when I asked him what he was doing he replied ‘I was looking for the Belvedere Hotel'”. Minden then said “Yes, that is true, and I just proved I am staying at the Belvedere Hotel”. Witness found that defendant had registered at the Belvedere Hotel on Friday morning as John Miles. He told Minden that he did not feel satisfied with his explanation. At the police station Minden's bag was searched and a table knife, table fork, tablespoon and a teaspoon were found. Asked to account for the cutlery he said “I took them from the Central Hotel today”. Witness said he made enquiries at the Central Hotel and produced to Minden a pension book in the name of Mrs. Edith C. Davey, of 33, Cheriton Gardens. Defendant said “I took them from the Glendale Hotel sometime today, and it was contained in a handbag”. In reply to the charge of stealing cutlery Minden said “I told you that they are from the Central Hotel, and it is true that I took them”. In reply to the other charge, Minden said “Yes, I did do it but I deny the breaking and entering”. The officer said Minden confessed he had thrown away the handbag in some gardens. The locality was searched and the bag was found in shrubbery at Augusta Gardens.

Folkestone Herald 19 December 1953.

Local News.

Four charges were preferred against Joseph Harold Minden, of Chadwell Heath Lane, Chadwell Heath, when he appeared on remand at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Friday. Charged with stealing a handbag and contents valued at £3 16/- and cutlery worth 2/- from Folkestone hotels, obtaining £3 from the Postmaster-General by means of a forged Post Office Savings Bank withdrawal form and endeavouring to obtain a further £3 by means of a forged withdrawal form, Minden was committed for trial at Folkestone Quarter Sessions to be held in January.

Mrs. Lilian Miller, proprietress of the Central Hotel, Folkestone, said accused came to the hotel on November 25th and booked in as Mr. Minden, of Chadwell Heath, for one night. On the following day he said he wished to stay another night and left on November 27th after paying his bill. In the evening she was shown articles of cutlery by the police, which were similar to those used at the hotel. She went to the room which had been occupied by accused and found that the electricity meter had been opened and approximately 2/- was missing.

Mrs. Edith Charlotte Davey, Cheriton Gardens, Folkestone, who is 74 years of age, said she occupied a ground floor room. At 12.30 p.m. on November 27th she left her room to go to lunch, leaving her handbag behind. The door of the room was closed but when she returned after lunch her handbag was missing. Subsequently she was shown the handbag by the police. It contained a pension book, small purse, fountain pen and some keys in addition to some other small items. She thought there was also a 10/- note in the bag.

P.C. Jenvey said accused made a statement in which he was alleged to have said that he booked a room at the Central Hotel where he stole various articles of cutlery and broke into meters.

Mr. N.W.S. Hutcheson, prosecuting on the charges of forgery, said one of the witnesses was ill and could not be present that day. He was the owner of the P.O. Savings Bank book concerned.

D. Sgt. Mumbray, Metropolitan Police attached to the G.P.O., said he saw Minden at Canterbury Prison and showed him a number of withdrawal forms and a Post Office Savings Bank book. Witness said Minden made a statement in which he was alleged to have said that he took the Post Office Savings Bank book from the Royal Hotel, Purfleet. He withdrew £39 from the account.

Accused was committed in custody to Quarter Sessions.

Folkestone Herald 16 January 1954.

Quarter Sessions.

Joseph Harold Minden (35), painter, of 81, Chadwell Heath Lane, Chadwell Heath, Essex, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment at Folkestone Quarter Sessions on Saturday. He pleaded guilty to four charges which included thefts from hotels in Folkestone. Represented by Mr. John Gower, Minden asked for 18 other offences to be taken into consideration.

P.C. Jenvey said of the 18 other cases Minden wished to be taken into consideration, five were for stealing or attempting to steal from hotels in Folkestone or Canterbury, the sixth was stealing a Post Office Savings Bank book, and the other 12 were withdrawals from the book.

Mr. Malcolm Morris (prosecuting): So far as the Post Office Savings Bank is concerned, he has drawn out £39.

Continuing, P.C. Jenvey said there were seven convictions against Minden, all of a similar nature. He had been released from prison on July 10th, 1953, and had worked only for short periods.

Mr. Gower, for accused, said until 1941 Minden had had no convictions and had never been in any sort of trouble. “In 1940 he lost the sight of one eye”, he continued, “and was not able to get a disability pension until last July. He was then given a pension of 16/6 per week. His record of crime dates from that injury. I do not put it forward that he has no control over his actions, but it does seem that it has something to do with it”.

The Recorder (Mr. Tristram Beresford, Q.C.), sentencing accused, said until he heard what Mr. Gower had to say he was of the opinion that accused was a menace to the public and should be put away for a long period of preventative detention. “That you certainly will get if you commit any other offences”, he added, sentencing Minden to five years’ imprisonment on each of the charges, the sentences to run concurrently.

Folkestone Herald 28 May 1955.

Local News.

Plans for a new bar at the Central Hotel, Folkestone, were approved by the Licensing Justices on Wednesday.

Mr. W.J. Coley, making the application on behalf of the licensee, said the hotel had become very popular and there was need for another bar, particularly on such occasions as the Easter Hockey Festival. Last year a hockey club called the Hornets were staying at the hotel and entertained a German hockey team. They occupied all the existing bars and it was found that there was no room for regular patrons. There were, in fact, some complaints. The existing bars were not very big and with the increase in the popularity of the hotel there was a need to turn the lounge on the ground floor into a bar. It was intended to put a lounge on the first floor above the proposed new bar.

Folkestone Herald 2 February 1957.

Local News.

When Herbert Neville Dunning, 30-year-old hotel porter, of no fixed abode, was charged at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court, on Wednesday, with obtaining £16 credit by means of fraud from Jane Coar between January 7th and 27th, it was stated by the police that they were anxious to know more of his activities.

Dunning was remanded in police custody, after Chief Inspector L.A. Hadlow had told the magistrates that the defendant had only recently come to the Folkestone district.

P.C. Frederick Manley said at 7.15 a.m. on Wednesday he saw Dunning in Shellons Street and told him he answered the description of a man wanted on warrant for obtaining credit by fraud at Folkestone. Defendant replied “Yes, fair enough”. When he was charged at the police station Dunning was alleged to have replied “That is right”.

Folkestone Herald 16 February 1957.

Local News.

After the Magistrates had heard his record, Herbert Neville Dunning, 30-year-old hotel porter, of no fixed address, was committed to Folkestone Quarter Sessions for sentence by the Recorder. Dunning pleaded Guilty at Folkestone Magistrates' Court on Friday to obtaining £16 by means of fraud from Mrs. Jane Coar, of the Central Hotel, Folkestone.

Mr. J.R. Newton, prosecuting, said accused went to the Central Hotel and asked for accommodation for two or three days. He told Mr. Coar he came from Australia and was in England on holiday. He agreed to accept bed and breakfast and signed the register, giving an address of 220, Silver Street, Sydney. On January 11th, when Mr. Coar presented the account, Dunning asked if he could stay on for a further two or three days. He stayed several days longer and on January 21st Mr. Coar found that accused had obtained intoxicants on credit and had incurred a total debt of £16. The following day Mr. Coar learned that the accused had left the hotel and had not paid his bill. Dunning did not return.

P.C. Manley said at 7.17 a.m. on January 30th he was on duty in Guildhall Street, where he saw the accused, who answered the description of a man wanted by the police. He stopped him and questioned him about the Central Hotel. Dunning said “Yes, that is right”. The officer took him to the police station and read the warrant over to him. Dunning, who replied “Fair enough”, was later charged and he said “That's right”.

Defendant told the Court he had nothing and it was necessary he should do something to live.

D.C. R. Crane said accused was born at High Barnet. He had 12 previous convictions, the first being at a juvenile Court, when he was bound over for stealing. He was subsequently sent to an approved school, and also a Borstal institution. He had had three years' corrective training and several sentences of imprisonment since, the last being early in 1955 for stealing. He was released from prison in September last.

P.C. Manley was called forward by the Chairman (Ald. W.J. Hollands), who said “The Magistrates wish to commend you for picking this man up so early in the morning. It was a very smart pick-up”.

Folkestone Herald 14 September 1957.

Local News.

A youth walked into the Central Hotel, Folkestone, on Monday, and told the receptionist that a horse outside wanted a drink of water. The receptionist left the hotel. True enough, there was a horse and cart in the road but the driver said the horse did not need water. When she returned to her desk the receptionist found that a purse containing over £3 had been stolen from her handbag. A child’s purse, with a few shillings in it, was also missing.

Folkestone Herald 6 February 1960.

Local News.

Maurice Bacon, 43-year-old sales representative, of Brighton, was found dead in a bedroom at the Central Hotel, Folkestone, on Thursday morning. The facts have been reported to the Borough Coroner.

Folkestone Herald 15 February 1964.

Annual Licensing Sessions.

Transfer of licence was granted for the following application: Central Hotel, from Mr. C.T. Chapman to Mr. Chapman and Mr. Ian Allen Lindsay.

Folkestone Herald 28 January 1978.

Local News.

Thieves broke into the Central Hotel at Folkestone on Thursday night and stole cash from a till.