Hassell, has been granted a provisional liquor licence to open a pub called the Fox and Hound on the premises of the former Cottage Bakery in Smith's Parish.

Mr. Hassell who is the owner of the Country Squire, was granted a three-month liquor licence by the Liquor Licensing Authority yesterday to open a traditional style English pub which will serve lunch and dinner.

The decision was made in spite of objections from Specialty Inn owner, Mr.

Ermete (Johnny) Troja.

Mr. Troja told the committee that while he was not opposed to another restaurant in the area, he said that the pub should not be granted a licence to serve alcohol.

He complained that in an area where there have already been numerous traffic accidents, he feared that customers drinking and driving would compound the problem.

"It's the alcohol that we're afraid of,'' he said. "There's a difference between people coming out of a carpark under the influence of alcohol and when they're not.'' Mr. Troja also voiced concerns that the pub would disrupt the low-key atmosphere of the community. And he said that the opening hours of the pub would clash with church functions at the Church of the Nazarine and the Centenary Church which often went on late into the evenings.

But according to Mr. Hassell the pub will be a restaurant where customers will be able to have alcoholic drinks with their meals rather than a bar. He said that the dress code would be more formal than that of the Country Squire and would require men to wear jackets.

When asked by Mr. Francis if there would be a karaoke machine he said: "Absolutely not. There will be no loud music or bands.'' Instead he said that light piano music would be played inside the pub but not outside on the terrace where food would be served in the summer.

And he said that as the premises came with a large parking lot. He did not expect the pub would contribute to traffic congestion any more than other businesses in the area.

In his ruling the Wor. Will Francis said that on behalf of the authority he did not feel the objections raised were reasonable in the circumstances.

"It has been proven to our entire satisfaction that this restaurant will be operated in the manner that Mr. Hassell has described,'' he said.

"We are satisfied that it will not be of any detriment to the public interest.'' Grocery stores that extend their opening hours beyond 9.00 p.m. must ensure that liquor is kept in a separate room and is cordoned off from the rest of the store, according to Liquor Licensing Authority chairman, the Wor. Will Francis.

An application to transfer a licence to sell liquor to the new owner of Maximart in Somerset, Mr. Frank Arnold, was granted yesterday on the condition that liquor is stored in a separate room.

Mr. Francis said the reason for the condition was to take the onus off store staff and the police in preventing the theft of alcohol.

Mr. Arnold showed the committee proposed plans for the store which confirmed that the area would have a separate cash register and could only be entered through one door which would be kept locked after 9.00 p.m. He said only the manager of the store would have access to the key.

In reply to a query from the committee on recent incidences of theft of miniature bottles of alcohol, he confirmed that these would be kept in a locked glass cabinet.