Conwy: Children as young as 13 'excessively drunk' at party

December 11, 2023

Children as young as 13 were "excessively drunk" after a birthday party held at a venue in North Wales.

The licence of Sunny's Bar and Bentley's nightclub in Tywyn is being reviewed by Conwy Council after the event.

North Wales Police said its officers received a call from the Welsh Ambulance Service on 22 September at 7.36pm to reports a 13-year-old child had been drinking and was "losing consciousness".

Licensing officer for the force, Aaron Haggas, said it transpired "there had been a party for a 15-year-old girl in the first-floor section of the premises".

"No parents or legal guardian were in attendance," he added.

A meeting of Conwy Council's licensing sub-committee was told three children were "in an excessively drunk state and there was belief that more children had been drinking".

Two of the three were taken to Glan Clwyd Hospital in Rhyl for further treatment.

CCTV was shown to sub-committee members behind closed doors.

The premises said it had only sold sealed bottles from the bar at the party.

A week earlier, a meeting was held with the premises where concern was raised that children were attending "under-18 discos unaccompanied by a parent or legal guardian", Officer Haggas said.

"The premises explained that this was an oversight on their behalf and all future under-18s discos would be cancelled and they would be fully in compliance with the premises licence conditions, now that it had been brought to their attention," he added.

Officials deemed "no further action was necessary at that time".

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Emma Priestly, director of EJP Entertainment, the company which runs the venue, issued an apology at the meeting on Friday.

"I can't apologise enough that this has happened. Unfortunately, as I said, I didn't know it took place or was going to take place," she said.

"I have a 14-year-old child, and as a mother I would do anything to protect my children.

"I would do anything to protect any children in that circumstance.

"Seeing what actually went on obviously has upset me quite a lot as a mum.

"It's not how we run our operations and obviously I trusted people to run these operations and I've been very very let down by certain people."

Ms Priestley assured councillors that going forward, "nothing like this would ever happen again".

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