A pub’s bid for a temporary alcohol licence has been rejected amid fears its boss isn’t “competent enough” to run the business safely - despite recognised attempts “to do better”.

Leaseholder Marius Rexha applied for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) for The Prince Albert, in Gravesend, to allow it to sell booze between 6.30pm and 1am, from January 7 until January 13.

However, the police lodged objections because officers had “serious concerns” about the boss’s ability to run the pub, in Wrotham Road, to prevent crime and ensure public safety.

The force said the premises had already been under review due to “failings” with its day-to-day operations amid fears of “incidents of disorder” and suspected “underage sales”.

The TEN application was discussed at Gravesham council’s licensing panel on Thursday (January 2).

The hearing heard that the town centre pub does not currently have a valid premises licence but was in the process of applying for a new one.

Members Cllr Jo Hart, Cllr Leslie Pearton and Cllr Lee Croxton were told it was not until Mr Rexha was asked by police to change the designated premises supervisor (DPS) that he discovered his licence had lapsed.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Rexha, a spokesman explained there had been an “accountant error” in submitting certain documents which led to the company, in which the licence was registered, automatically dissolving.

As a result, the pub’s premise licence was invalid and has not been able to operate since.

In their submitted report, police officers said they were aware of suspected underage sales, believed the premises were poorly run, staff were not properly trained and CCTV was not stored for the expected 31 days.

On one occasion, it was discovered a member of the bar staff was running the pub alone and admitted to having no training and was unaware of her responsibilities.

On November 17, a mother is said to have contacted the police after her underage son came home “heavily intoxicated” and claimed he had been served alcohol at The Prince Albert.

Giving evidence at the hearing, PC Carrie Knight, who works in licencing for the force, said: “We are objecting to this even though it is on a temporary basis due to the concerns that we have and mainly due to the way you have been running it.

“I do not feel like you are competent enough to have an understanding of the licensing conditions and objectives.

“I do not feel you are competent enough to hold a premises license and it would have been at a stage where, if had you had a license, Kent Police was looking at reviewing it in full.”

Addressing PC Knight, Mr Rexha’s spokesman said the team has made changes. He added: “We have done what you have asked. I know you were not happy before but hopefully, you will be happy now.

“Running a business is not easy. You do not feel like he is cut out to run the pub.

“You said you had an issue with the CCTV and the record books which he has done what he can to change. You asked him to change the DPS. He has tried to do that.

“We are trying to work with you.”

PC Knight acknowledged Mr Rexha was “making attempts to do better” but said she feared if a TEN was approved, there would be no legally binding conditions to make sure it was run adequately.

She added: “We are happy to work with you to get the premises up to scratch.

“I can comment that he has made attempts to change some conditions and I can hold my hat off to you for attempting to do that.

“I appreciate that Mr Rexha can put all the conditions in place but there would be nothing legally to say that he has to and it would be a concern to us if there was not.”

Questions were also raised by councillors over the proposed opening and operating hours and if the pub had security.

Mr Rexha confirmed he would only be serving alcohol during the approved periods and The Prince Albert hired two security guards on Friday and Saturday nights.

Yet the latter was disputed by PC Andre Smuts who said he had not seen any security members while on patrol in the town.

He told the hearing: “I have never seen any evidence of that and we work late as well, unless I am blind. I will be looking into that as that is just extraordinary to me.”

After hearing the evidence, panel members Cllr Hart, Cllr Pearton and Cllr Croxton rejected the bid on the grounds they did not feel the licensing objections would be met by the applicant.

KentOnline approached Mr Rexha for comment.