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MAGISTRATES GRANT BEER LICENCE
SUPERINTENDANT OPPOSES APPLICANT
Morpeth Magistrates on Wednesday granted a request by Edward William Allen, 13 Castle Street, Morpeth, for bottled beer to be sold on the premises known as Morpeth Common Camp Stores. Representing the applicant, Mr. J. Kent told the court that the present residents of Crash Camp were 60 per cent Polish and 40 per cent English.
Since Mr. Allen opened the shop four weeks ago there had been a weekly increase in his sales. He had been approached by both Poles and Englishmen with a view to selling bottled beer. Until Mr. Allen had opened the shop nearly all of the shopping had to done in Morpeth. This meant either walking across fields or going a longer way round by road.
Mr. Kent went to tell the court that the Poles often preferred to drink beer in their own homes rather than going out to public houses. If drink was the cause of trouble in the camp, it would have happened long before now. When questioned by Superintendant Goodfellow, Mr. Allen replied that at present he was under a weekly tenancy. The premises were partitioned off so as allow room for storage, a relative of his also occupied part of the premises. Mr. Allen stated that his sister would take charge of the store while he was elsewhere. The superintendant asked if he thought it would be alright to leave his sister in charge of the stores when 60 per cent of the camp residents were Poles. Mr. Allen said it was alright.
When the superintendant asked the applicant if he knew there were more people in Stobhillgate than at the Crash Camp, Mr. Allen said he knew, but the folk Stobhillgate could visit Morpeth or a public house much more conveniently than those at the Crash Camp.
147 FAMILIES
Mr. Robert Scott Powers, an employee of Morpeth Council who lives at the Crash Camp, took the stand.
He told the court that there were 147 huts in the camp and about 147 families. The greater majority of the families were Polish. There had only been, in Mr. Powers’ opinion, one serious incident at the camp in which the police had to informed. Mr. Powers told the court that the English and Polish families got along well together. but the Poles mostly kept to themselves.
Superintendent Good fellow asked Mr. Powers if he took drink, to which he replied he did. Mr. Powers said he had never tried to order beer, but had recently put in order for mineral waters to be delivered to him from Morpeth. This had been refused because his was in an awkward delivery area.
OPPOSED BY POLICE
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0JLGYZzWD...k_Ale_1952.jpgSuperintendant W. Goodfellow said he opposed the application. The huts were only under a weekly agreement and could be terminated at any time. As regards the dwellings they could be done away with at any time the Ministry of Health required.
Mr. Kent reminded the superintendant that most council houses came under agreement where they could be terminated at a week’s notice. It was the Ministry of Works and not the Ministry of Health who had authority to close the camp. This action was not at all probable as alternative accommodation for 500 people could not easily be found.
Supt. Goodfellow continued and stated that the premises in which the beer was proposed to be sold were not suitable. "If Stobhillgate can manage without an off-licence store, then surely the Crash Camp can. If a licence was granted to every 300 inhabitants I don't know what would happen,” said, the Superintendent. Then he continued "If the people at the Crash Camp want beer in their homes they could the same as many other people do and have it delivered.”
The magistrates granted the licence condition that Mr. Allen would undertake only to sell bottled beer.”
Morpeth Herald - Friday 24 February 1950, page 1.
