PUNCH Taverns are looking for someone else to be responsible for a Winchester bar after police rejected their first choice.

The pub firm wanted Jonathan Sweeney to run The Albion in Stockbridge Road after the departure of John Ramage in August.

However, Mr Sweeney is also the ‘designated premises supervisor’ at the First In Last Out in Wales Street.

As the two pubs are around a mile apart, police argued that he could not possibly supervise both venues at once.

Winchester City Council’s licensing committee was due to decide the matter on Tuesday, October 12.

However, members heard that Punch Taverns were now trying to find somebody else, so the matter was dropped.