The owners of a Pingewood-based water park have said their venue is a “safe and fun environment” despite an alleged brawl taking place at an unlicensed boxing event.
Lagoona Park’s owners Andy and Shelly McLeod-Ross defended their venue at a licensing review hearing at Wokingham Borough Council held earlier this week.
Their events manager Katie Brooks admitted she knew the boxing event was unlicensed when she allowed organisers to book it.
Licensing officers at Wokingham Borough Council want to impose new conditions on Lagoona Park’s ability to sell alcohol and host events after a series of apparent breaches.
Alleged breaches include a fight involving up to 30 people at a charity boxing event there in February.
Officers say that not only did the venue not have permission to host boxing events, but its owners also did not appear to have put sufficient security in place.
And in November last year, Lagoona Park hosted a World Cup fan zone event where licensing officers found children under the age of 18 in attendance, contrary to assurances from owners.
This was despite owners’ assurances that they wouldn’t allow underage children into the event.
Licensing officers also reported that owner Andy McLeod-Ross told them to “f*** off,” and that his son was restraining him.
At a meeting of the council’s Licensing and Appeals Hearing Sub Committee on Wednesday, May 10, council licensing manager Keiran Hinchcliffe said officers tried to work with Lagoona Park’s owners to amend their licence after the World Cup event.
He said, the owners went on to submit a “frivolous” application to change their licensing conditions that didn’t contain enough detail. He added that the brawl and boxing match then “forced” council officers to refer Lagoona Park for review.
In their defence, Shelly McLeod-Ross said owners had “worked hard to provide a safe and fun environment to the local community for both day and evening events”.
She added it is “a well-needed slice of urban paradise to escape to from the stressful world that we currently live in”.
Mr McLeod Ross apologised to the licensing officers for swearing at them.
Their lawyer said the new application he submitted had been a draft only submitted for “initial comment”.
“To suggest that it was a frivolous application is not true and I think is perhaps slightly disingenuous,” he said, arguing that security staff at the event had managed to deal with recent fights “very quickly”.
Council licensing officers say they want to see “A marked improvement in how events are improved,” and a “recognition of what the licencing conditions are.” They also want “a step towards a mutual respect” between the park’s owners and licensing officers.
Gary Clarke of Thames Valley Police wants the council to prosecute Lagoona Park’s owners and suspend their license. He said he “had no confidence” that the owners would stick to new conditions.
The owners’ lawyer said there was evidence they had stuck to conditions in the past. He wants to “start the slate clean” with a new license with new conditions.
The subcommittee is due to announce its ruling by Wednesday, May 17.
