A SECOND pub in Stanford-le-Hope has been forced to close its doors in the wake of a crackdown by Thurrock Council's licensing committee.

As reported on Thurrock Nub News, the future of the Crooked Billet on Billet Lane is now in doubt after its license was revoked by the council last week.

Also closing its doors after Thursday's meeting of the authority's licensing sub-committee, which was investigating concerns over crime and disorder at pubs, was the Railway Taven in the heart of the town on King Street.

It is not the first time the Tavern has been linked with criminality, particularly concerning drugs.

It has previously been subjected to raids by police officers and in June last year it was closed down because it flouted rules imposed because of the covid pandemic.

And in the same month an employee at Railway was charged with the trafficking of class A drugs including conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply ecstasy, and two counts of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs.

Simon Renoldi has yet to appear in court and says he will be pleading not guilty and hopes to clear his name.

Owner and leaseholder at the Tavern is Mrs Ann Renoldi, 76, who has not been charged with any offences.

At the time of the raid, which was one of a number across the region on local pubs, a spokesman for Essex Police said: "The investigation is one of those which came from Op Venetic – a major operation involving the cracking of a bespoke encrypted global communication service.

"EncroChat offered a secure mobile phone instant messaging service with 60,000 users worldwide and around 10,000 in the UK."

EncroChat was also linked to a number of raids mounted by police across south Essex and Kent last month, including officers entering and searching the Crooked Billet.

Meanwhile Thurrock Council has invited public comment abut the Railway Tavern as it considers the license on the grounds of the prevention of serious crime and disorder

Any interested party or responsible authority can make representations to the council no later than 23 November 2022.

It says any representations should be made in writing to the Licensing Department, Thurrock Council, Civic Offices, New Road, Grays, RM17 6SL or by email to [email protected]