From the Dover Express and East Kent News, 17 October, 1952.

CLUB CLOSED DOWN AT ST. MARGARET'S

Secretary Fined For After-Hours Drinks

AFTER listening to evidence from Police officers who raided the "Kenilworth Club," The Droveway, St. Margaret's, and found local residents and businessmen drinking there after normal licensing hours, Wingham Magistrates, at Dover yesterday, ordered the club to be struck off the register.

The premises are not to be used for the purposes of a club for a further twelve months.

For supplying liquor after licensing hours, club secretary Aubrey David Cliff (30), was ordered to pay a £5 fine on each of four summonses, and a total of £5 5s. costs.

Cliff, who pleaded not guilty, and was represented by Mr. P. A. G. AIdington, gave as his defence that he thought it was in order to serve drinks to hotel residents using the club.

Mr. R. P. Tunstall, prosecuting, said the application for the club to be struck of the register was on the grounds that it was not conducted in good faith as a club, that people were habitually admitted as members without a 48-hour interval between their nomination and admission, and that the supply of intoxicants was not under the control of members of a committee.

Evidence of keeping observation at the rear at the premises was given by P. C. Lovack. who said that on each occasion, on August 30th and September 6th, 7th and 13th, he saw people drinking after normal licensing hours, with Cliff serving from the bar. On the first occasion, people were there until 11.50 p.m., and an other occasions until 12.45 a.m. and 11 p.m.

Leader of the raid on September 13th, Inspector Haydon said be heard Cliff call "Time" at 10.30 p.m., but only two people left, and the rest of the 20 to 25 people remained where they were. Asked for the minute book, Clifff said: " We haven't got one yet, but the members have been notified or a meeting being held." He said no members of the Wine Committee were present, and there were no printed rules, because he was waiting for the members to adopt a set or rules at the forthcoming meeting.

Checking through the register of members, said the officer, he found that, out of 147, 73 were temporary members, 35 were shown as being visitors to the hotel. Someone named Cliff had either proposed or seconded 86 or them, and 12 had been neither proposed nor seconded.

One of the members, from Aberdeen, arrived at the hotel on 19th July and left on the 28th, but was shown as becoming a member of the club on 17th July, proposed by Cliff and seconded by his wife.

Cliff, in evidence, said he was a radio engineer before he took over the club, on May 12th, and prior to that time had had no experience at all in running a club. As far as he was concerned, he had always conducted it in good faith. A Wine Committee was in control of the supply of liquor, rules had been lodged with the authorities by his predecessor, and, at the time of the raid, the club was being operated under those rules. He understood he could serve drinks to residents at the hotel, and admitted he may have served to residents after the licensing hours.