Police have failed in a bid to have a Maryport pub landlord stripped of his licence following disorder at this year’s blues festival.

George Kemp, an Allerdale councillor and landlord of the Lifeboat Inn, was told by the council’s licensing panel last night that he could remain as licensee and designated premises supervisor of the Shipping Brow pub but with added conditions to his licence.

The ruling came after police requested a review to consider concerns about problems at the pub, including a fight which broke out on Sunday, July 31 in an adjacent beer festival tent next.

Sergesnt Richard Farnworth told the hearing at Allerdale House in Workington that police were concerned the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance and protection of children from harm were all being jeopardised by Mr Kemp’s running of the pub, who police did not feel was fit to run the pub.

He said Mr Kemp had only agreed to employ door staff during the festival after police called for a licence review before the event.

Under that agreement Mr Kemp was meant to employ door staff until 9pm on July 31 but the meeting heard he had asked them to finish at 7pm.

Sgt Farnworth and Inspector Mark Wear said Mr Kemp had told them he did not want to spend money on them.

Later in the evening a fight broke out in the tent and police shut the pub for a day.

Evidence from police officers said there were up to 25 people involved in the fight, the tent may have been overcrowded and Mr Kemp appeared to be drunk.

Mr Kemp, however, said there were no more than six people involved.

He denied claims of overcrowding or that he was drunk.

Police also had concerns about tables and chairs in an unlicensed area outside the pub but the panel heard they had been put there by outside caterers.

The tent had extended outside the licensed area, the hearing was told, but Mr Kemp’s solicitor Paul Nicholson said that had minimal impact.

Sgt Farnworth said during the 2010 festival the fire service had had concerns about the number of people cramming into the pub.

He added: “Clearly he hadn’t learned an awful lot from the events of the year before.”

There were also concerns about alcohol being given away for free in the beer tent.

The panel also heard that on Saturday, May 21 a barman in the pub had sold alcohol to a 16-year-old girl.

Concerns were raised by neighbour Shaun Moore that empty barrels were left where people could roll them down Shipping Brow and his car had been damaged more than once.

Most of the evidence presented to the panel centred around July 31.

Insp Wear said officers had spotted a fight developing in the tent and had attended, with others following as back up.

PC Ryan Irving, who was off duty and in the tent, said the incident had begun as a row between some women with drinks thrown and had resulted in up to 25 people fighting.

The panel heard that PC Irving’s partner, Special Constable Kier Crossfield, had been involved in the incident and Mr Nicholson said she had thrown one of the drinks, which PC Irving said he had not seen and he understood she had tried to break it up.

The tent and pub were emptied and the pub shut under Section 161 of the Licensing Act - the first time the legislation had been used in West Cumbria.

Officers said Mr Kemp, a former member of the licensing panel, appeared drunk and obstructive.

Witness Steve Fox told the hearing he had only seen two women flapping their arms in what he described as a handbag fight and it was only when the police arrived that the atmosphere changed.

He said: “There was a disturbance caused by what appeared to be an overreaction.

“The way they cleared the tent was, I thought, very intimidating.”

Video from the scene as the pub and tent were being cleared showed Mr Kemp outside voicing concerns that he was being victimised by the police as Chief Inspector Mairi Stamper explained the closure order.

Later he was seen turning away would-be customers and explaining it pub was closed.

Mr Nicholson said there was friction between Mr Kemp and the police because of previous disagreements, including the earlier licence review application and objections to a street closure and stage Mr Kemp had initially planned for the festival.

He said: “The weekend of the blues festival was in the main successful for the Lifeboat Inn.

“There’s been a very minor incident on a very busy weekend and it’s led to the pub being closed.”

He added that the pub had not been properly closed down as a closure notice had not been correctly served and there was no evidence to suggest Mr Kemp had been asked if he would willingly shut the pub.

The case had been due to go before magistrates, he said, but it was withdrawn when police found correct procedures had not been followed.

Mr Kemp denied asking the door staff to leave early and said he had been keen to reduce disorder, closing early after the previous night because Shipping Brow was so busy.

After nearly four hours of evidence and 20 minutes of deliberation, the panel decided not to revoke Mr Kemp’s licence but added four extra conditions.

They are that two registered door supervisors must be employed until 30 minutes after alcohol sales stop when live music is on in the premises; that the area to the side of the pub where the tent was is removed from the premises licence; that a challenge 25 policy is brought in; and that a CCTV system is installed by December 1 to record the inside and outside of the pub throughout opening hours.

After the hearing Mr Kemp said: “The reaction I have got is bewilderment really of what’s happened. We can live with what’s gone on and we can live with the decision.”