WATER WILLOWS - St MARTIN AT OAK

Licence `Taken away' 1891 according to S&P records.

In August 1891 the renewal of licence was objected to on the grounds that the house was of insufficient value to be able to be granted a licence.
It was said to have a rateable value of £7 and the Act said that no house under £15 should be allowed a licence.
For the owners, Messrs. Steward & Patteson, said the house was well conducted and let at £12 a year, but the occupant did not pay the full rent since all beer, etc., was supplied by S&P.
A witness considered the house to be worth between £15 and £16 a year because of the good boating business attached, which should bring in £30 a year. (It was claimed by the objectors that it would be illegal to include the riverside business into the value of the licensed premises).
Part of the building was sub-let at £5 a year and had a separate entrance. Mary Ann White said she was willing to tear down the partition and throw the whole into one to bring the property up to the required value.
Mr. A. W. Bell, estate agent, valued the premises at £15.
The magistrates were unanimous that the house was not worth £15 a year and could not grant the renewal.