Baylis House Hotel's premises licence suspended following alleged rape

A Slough hotel has had its premises licence suspended until safety improvements are made following reports of a 35-year-old man having sex with an underage girl.

Councillors and representatives from Thames Valley Police and Baylis House Hotel, in Stoke Poges Lane, met at Observatory House on Monday to review the hotel’s premises licence.

At the meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee, Inspector Jonathan Stanley from Thames Valley Police said the force was contacted in June about the alleged rape of a teenage girl by a 35-year-old man at the hotel.

Inspector Stanley told the meeting the teenager and the man could be seen on CCTV talking to reception staff, before being escorted to the room where the alleged rape took place.

He questioned the due diligence of the hotel staff, adding: “I think in this case, the lack of curiosity, awareness and vigilance of staff is particularly concerning, especially when considering the age of the victim.”

He added that intervention from staff ‘may have been able to prevent’ the incident.

The meeting heard how the man has been arrested by police and an investigation is ongoing.

Inspector Stanley told the meeting that the incident at Baylis House Hotel ‘gives cause for concern’ that the venue is failing to meet its licensing objectives.

The force submitted a review application for the hotel’s premises licence in the aftermath of the incident on the grounds that the licensing objectives of public safety, the protection of children from harm and the prevention of crime and disorder are not being met.

Representing the business, Surendra Panchal stated that the hotel is not disputing what had happened and that they are ‘co-operating fully’ with the responsible authorities and agree to implement any improvement measures.

Mr Panchal added: “We would like to go forward, that’s what our main aim is.”

In response to Cllr Zafar Satti’s (Con, Chalvey) question of how the reputation of the hotel will be restored, Mr Panchal explained that a range of factors including training being carried out on a regular basis and ensuring that all IDs are scanned in will be implemented to improve matters.

The sub-committee decided to impose a number of conditions to the premises

licence, some of which included implementing an ID scanning system, putting a written safeguarding policy in place, and providing refresher training on child exploitation to all members annually and for this to be logged and records kept.

It also decided to issue a yellow card to the premises as a warning that if a further review is needed and ‘matters have not improved’, the ‘premises licence may be revoked’ and a yellow card will be ‘clearly and visibly displayed’ at the premises for 12 months.

The sub-committee also agreed to suspend the hotel’s premises licence until all the conditions are implemented to the satisfaction of the licensing authority and Thames Valley Police, following a licensing inspection.

Baylis House Hotel has been contacted by the Express for further comment.