Police and Liverpool council officials said the bar was like an ‘unsupervised youth club’
Sotto on Wood Street, Liverpool.(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A basement bar in Liverpool city centre was compared to a “school disco gone wrong” as it was stripped of its licence having been found to be selling alcohol to 16-year-olds.
Liverpool Council’s licensing and gambling sub-committee said it was “abundantly clear” the management of Sotto on Wood Street meant it was no longer fit to hold a premises licence after multiple breaches of its conditions.
A lengthy hearing at Liverpool Town Hall heard how over a period of months, multiple people under the age of 18 were able to access the venue unchallenged and purchase alcohol, with the venue likened to an “unsupervised youth club.” On one occasion, a 16-year-old girl was seen being carried out of the city centre premises unconscious, having taken an unknown drug.
One licensing officer told councillors how in almost two decades in the role, they had “never come across a premises as bad” as Sotto. The business, which is now closed, had a licence held by Stephen Charlesworth who operates a number of venues across the city.
Mr Charlesworth was invited to attend the meeting by council officials but told them via email he had “done one to Madrid” and would not be appearing. Jenny Coyle, from Liverpool Council’s licensing team, described him as having a “nonchalant attitude” towards the operation of his business and preventing underage drinkers from entering.
Sergeant Craig Carmichael, from Merseyside Police, told the three-person panel how an initial licence was granted for Sotto in April 2024. It first became known to the force in October of that year.
Sotto on Wood Street, Liverpool.(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Sgt Carmichael said Mr Charlesworth was spoken to about a number of people outside the premises drinking and a bench cited near the front door, in breach of the licence conditions. On October 18, an allegation was made of an assault in the bar involving a 17-year-old female who had accessed the premises.
A week later, police spoke to Mr Charlesworth again regarding CCTV at the premises, which he claimed could only be accessed via another venue, again in breach of his licence. In November, he was warned a test purchase would be undertaken and warned that he may face prosecution if breaches continued.
The hearing heard that the licence holder claimed he made no profit from the operation of Sotto and relied on other sites he ran to make money. In December, intelligence was received from Merseyside Police’s missing persons unit that a young person under 18 they were seeking to locate was accessing the premises.
Sgt Carmichael told the committee how a number of underage drinkers would attend Sotto and on December 4 last year, a 16 and 17-year-old were seen inside. When officers visited after Christmas, no identifiable door staff were on duty as people left the venue carrying drinks.
Mr Charlesworth was said to be on duty behind the bar and claimed drinks had stopped being served after midnight, therefore he had not committed any breaches. He began arguing with police claiming they were “trying to kill hospitality in the city centre”, the meeting heard.
At 1.40am on December 27, 2024, a group of teenage girls flagged down police officers who were near Sotto. They were carrying out a 16-year-old girl who was drunk and unconscious, having taken an unspecified drug. She was later taken to hospital.
Sgt Carmichael also revealed how in January of this year, a registered sex offender was employed in a publicity position for Sotto and subsequently arrested.
The police officer told the committee that despite numerous meetings with officials, Mr Charlesworth “could not grasp the fact” he had breached licence conditions. He said the proprietor had a “total disregard” for the rules and put profits first.
Sgt Carmichael said the force was “deeply concerned” at how the premises operated, describing it as “an unsupervised youth club with alcohol freely available.” This was causing harm to minors, according to the officer.
Cllr Christine Banks, committee chair, said: “He just didn’t care, he blanked you, he blanked the policy.” She added how she and long-serving panel colleagues had “never come across anything like this.”
Jenny Coyle, from the council’s licensing team, undertook a test purchase with police and a 16-year-old volunteer in February this year. She said prior to the test, she entered the building and saw “something not right with the age profile of people drinking.”
Sotto on Wood Street, Liverpool.(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Ms Coyle said around 70% of those inside were underage. She described this as “extremely worrying” and likened it to a “school disco gone wrong.”
The licensing officer said young people were seen to be “extremely intoxicated” with some passed out or asleep in the venue. The 16-year-old volunteer was sold two bottles of beer by Mr Charlesworth without being challenged for ID.
Ms Coyle said staff raised concerns with the proprietor about this but were allegedly told to keep serving and not challenge for ID. After the test, Mr Charlesworth told officers how he hadn’t committed a licence breach because he thought the volunteer was over 21.
A week later, he told police he was “doing one to Madrid.” In revoking the licence, Cllr Banks said it was “abundantly clear” the mismanagement of the premises was down to Mr Charlesworth who showed a “complete disregard” for licensing policy.
She added how members were “in no doubt the appropriate step to take” was to strip the licence.