and this family will continue to extort pubs just like they have been doing for years and years and years.
I think this is getting blown out of proportion were not dealing with gangsters and the like. get a grip. were dealing with small time t*ssers. Neither do I believe that pubs in Conwy are under threat from extortionists, I mean has any one asked the other landlords in Conwy if they know of a protection raquet. Well I HAVE and there isn't one. Basically the Blue Bell has a high turnover of landlords and manangers, some of the lads try to intimidate the new licensees but this happens in any pub you take over, you'll suddenly find you have a bar full of pubsafe members simply because they know you don't know them from Adam. Ken (landlord now, really nice guy) was asked if he needed door staff, being an ex Outlaw and well connected he said no. Nothing was said about protection just door staff. That came from the horses mouth. Hayden had his windows put through because he upset a couple of lads by not allowing them in one weekend. I'm not condoning their actions far from it, but to insinuate that this is all some big protection racket is ridiculous it also gives all these "no marks" more noteriety which is the last thing anyone wants. Incidentally as I understand it the last manager in the blue bell left as drugs were rife in there and he could not curb it on his own with no help from the police, he was told his windows were going to get smashed as he wouldn't turn a blind eye to the dealing going on in there.
The new landlords of the Bridge were threatened by the same people.
The last landlords of the Albiion were threatened by the same people
The Old White House landlords were not only threatened but gave into the threats by these people. I was told this directly by the landlords in question.
The Bridge said no and the Albion said no and banned those people from their pubs and received many very scary threats. The Old White House mistakenly submitted to the threats and the extortionists started hanging out at the pub which forced the few regulars elsewhere.
None of this is news, the police have been told all about this and yet have done nothing except say 'call if there is trouble'.
Yes it is small time thugs doing this but that doesn't make it any more scary for those involved. Putting it down to a few kids is a big mistake especially considering the patriarch of the family involved is being investigated for very serious charges for a range of long term criminal activities.
There are people in town who are very scared of these people who will not give evidence and others who are indirectly benefitting from their activies so provide a level of protection. This criminal family is embedded into the local economy in such a way that it would be surprising if members of the north wales police were not some how involved.
