A PUB in the heart of Old Town has had its licence suspended for a week after it was twice caught selling alcohol to children.

The Bell Hotel, in the High Street, was also the subject of complaints about noise from its neighbours and has had other restrictions imposed on it.

It is the second Old Town pub to have its licence suspended for selling alcohol to children after Mackenzies on Wood Street was closed for a week earlier this year.

Police said they carried out test purchases using teenage volunteers in February and August and the venue failed both times.

On the second time, landlord Steven Brownell refused to accept a fixed penalty notice for the offence or to identify the member of staff who had served the teenagers.

He is now being taken to court because of this.

Mr Brownell appeared before Swindon Council’s licensing panel to answer questions.

He claimed he had been distracted at the bar when the teenagers were being served and that was why they were able to buy alcopops.

He also claimed police did not provide him with a description of the member of bar staff who served the teenagers, something the police dispute.

He said: “I fully agree with the principle of underage test purchases.

“As far as I’m concerned I run quite a tight ship. But I have been caught twice and there is nothing I can do about it.

“We are here today purely because of a misunderstanding.”

He said he had stopped playing loud music, started a ‘Challenge 25’ policy to ID anyone who looks under 25 and had identified the member of staff involved in the under-age sales but said the police had not asked for her name.

Coun Vera Tomlinson, who chairs the licensing panel, said the licence would be suspended for a week in 21 days’ time, to reflect the seriousness of the offences.

The pub will also have to employ more doormen, not allow under 18s in the bar or function room, undertake staff training more often and keep a record of times people have been refused entry or alcohol.

Live music, regulated entertainment and piped music will also no longer be played in the courtyard unless approved by the council and the windows and doors should be kept shut after 10pm, except for entry and exit.