Arrest warrant issued for landlord of village pub near Lancaster convicted of selling alcohol without licence twice

Douglas Traynor, 73, failed to turn up to Harrogate Magistrates Court on Monday, and though the trial went ahead in his absence, a warrant for his arrest was issued after he was found guilty of numerous licensing offences.

The publican and his wife Shanti, 53, are believed to have fled to his native Scotland after the owner of The Punch Bowl in Low Bentham, near Skipton, secured county court papers to evict the couple last November.

The Punch Bowl has been the subject of a closure order since the summer of 2022, and although the Traynors were allowed to continue running their Malaysian restaurant and campsite, they were forbidden from selling or stocking alcohol.

Douglas Traynor, 73, failed to turn up to Harrogate Magistrates Court on Monday, and though the trial went ahead in his absence, a warrant for his arrest was issued after he was found guilty of numerous licensing offences.

The publican and his wife Shanti, 53, are believed to have fled to his native Scotland after the owner of The Punch Bowl in Low Bentham, near Skipton, secured county court papers to evict the couple last November.

On Monday magistrates heard that the couple were caught by police officers on two occasions serving alcohol to customers while the pub’s front door was locked, its lights were off and it appeared to be shut.

The Traynors bizarrely tried to claim that the guests, many of whom had booked Groupon deals to eat at The Punch Bowl or were camping nearby, were ‘friends’ of the family, only for the confused diners to tell police that they had never met them before.

Mr Traynor was charged with breaching the closure notice, exposing alcohol for sale and possession of alcohol with intention of selling it on three occasions – January 14 and 22 and February 4 last year.

The offences took place only weeks after they had both been convicted and fined for trading without a licence by the same court.

Mrs Traynor was not charged in relation to the 2023 incidents.

PC Mohammed Iqraq returned to the pub on February 4 and questioned more guests who had bought alcohol from the bar.

Mr Traynor also denied that the closure order banned him from serving alcohol, claiming it only applied when it was sold.

In total, 130 bottles and cans were removed from the premises.

Couple who sold alcohol without a licence at pub near Lancaster are now being evicted

As Mr Traynor did not have legal representation, no response was provided to the Crown Prosecution Service’s case and magistrates found him guilty on 12 counts, adding that they were satisfied the alcohol had been sold and the closure order contravened.

Breaking the terms of the closure order and selling alcohol without a licence carry a maximum sentence of three months in prison, and magistrates adjourned the case for sentencing in the hope that Mr Traynor could be located and brought before the court.

In early October, the couple were also evicted from a bar and restaurant they had been running in Falkirk, Scotland, having left their son to manage the campsite in Low Bentham.