Flashback to 2005: Bikers hold peaceful protest against Worfield pub's temporary closure

Up to 1,000 motorcyclists, their friends and families joined a peaceful protest at the Wheel in a bid to keep the pub open.

Waving banners and wearing T-shirts with rallying calls for support, they turned up in droves to the popular pub, which lost its licence amid fears for public safety.

The venue, between Wolverhampton and Bridgnorth on the A454, had been holding the weekly meetings for nine years but concerned police had watched them mushroom in size.

Bikers, their friends and families came from all over the Midlands to get behind the campaign for the pub.

Landlady Gloria Goodson said she was overwhelmed at the support she had received.

"I's been amazing," she told the Star on the evening of the protest. "I have had so many phone calls from people and I can't believe how many people have turned up this evening.

"The whole thing has been a nightmare. I have had to lay off staff and send barrels back to the brewery."

Passing cars sounded their horns at the crowd and stewards ensured the safety of the evening.

Except for a police helicopter flying by and a couple of passing patrols, officers did not attend the protest as expected.

A petition was circulated around the masses by the Save the Wheel Action Group (SWAT).

Spokesman Geoff Pickering, from Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, said: "We are doing everything we can. I've been coming here for three years and never seen any trouble."

Goodyear worker Rob Theaker, aged 42, also turned up to support the pub. "We just don't know what the problem is," he said. "People have been coming here for nine years from all across the Midlands because it's such a nice place."

Steven Vogan and girlfriend Jayne Padley, from Wolverhampton, donned bright red T-shirts.

"We feel victimised. There are far more problems at other pubs but police seem to turn a blind eye to them," said Jayne.

Shaun and Jackie Sankey, of Telford, brought their four children along, just as they have done for the last few weeks. "The Wheel is a great place and the kids love it."

Around a week later, The Wheel won back its licence during a hearing at Telford Magistrates' Court - but was told that stringent conditions must be obeyed if its celebrated motorcycle meets were to continue.

Magistrates ordered that just 750 bikes were allowed to enter the site near Bridgnorth on Wednesday nights and that one steward per 100 bikers should monitor admissions. The pub needed to also ensure that all visitors parked on the premises.

The court heard that police swooped on the pub at just after 9pm on June 22 and took away the licence amid fears for public safety.

They had been monitoring the meetings and said they had grown "out of control" with more than 1,500 riders.

But licensing officer Sgt Tony Mantle conceded no public order offences had ever occurred in the history of the meetings.

Following the hearing, Mrs Goodson, said: "Of course I am delighted to have my licence back but I am concerned where bikers will go if they are told they cannot come to The Wheel.

"They may take to riding up and down the road and that is exactly what the police donπt want them to do.

"We could also have the scenario where people are rushing to be the first 750 there. Nevertheless, I will try my best to implement the conditions that have been set out."

Bikers were in high spirits as the pub reopened its doors to days later for its regular Wednesday meeting, which passed without a hitch.

The event saw a number of improvements to the parking system at the pub, including a separate entrance and exit and stewards used counters and walkie-talkies to monitor the number of visitors. Police kept a low profile with only the occasional passing patrol car.

Ian Jones, who helped organise the protest against the closure of the pub, said: "We've had more than 520 visitors tonight and I think magistrates were very fair with the numbers they set. We are encouraging all the bikers who come down to respect the people who live nearby and stick to the speed limit."

He revealed they were looking into marking out the car park into areas for parking and standing plus exit lanes.

Biker Rob Theaker, who lived in South Wales but worked at Goodyear in Wolverhampton, has been a regular to The Wheel for nine years.

"This is by far the best organised event for motorcyclists in the area and there has never been any trouble," he said.

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In the news

Tributes poured in to Countdown's iconic presenter Richard Whiteley, who died just days after heart surgery.

The 61-year-old was thought to be on the road to recovery after suffering from pneumonia.

Carol Vorderman, who presented the hit Channel 4 quiz with him for 23 years, was "absolutely devastated" by his death.

Esther Rantzen said: "He was just one of those people who made you smile. It was always a pleasure to meet him. He was genuinely self-deprecating. His autobiography was characteristically charming in that way."

Gyles Brandreth, a regular guest on the show, said he was a "highly intelligent person, a mixture of the sophisticated and the relaxed".

Former cricket umpire Dickie Bird described him as a "wonderful man and a great Yorkshireman" adding: "I still can't believe it. I'm stunned."

The Duchess of York paid tribute describing Mr Whiteley as "an outstandingly kind man and a Yorkshireman through and through".

On the box

The Girl in the Café, a made-for-television drama film,written by Richard Curtis aired on BBC One.

It was created to tie-in both with the BBC's Africa Lives season of programming and the global Make Poverty History campaign, for which Curtis was a prominent campaigner.

It tells the story of Lawrence (Bill Nighy), a civil servant working for the Chancellor of the Exchequer who falls in love with Gina (Kelly Macdonald), a young woman he meets by chance in a London café. Lawrence takes Gina to a G8 summit in Reykjavík, Iceland, where she confronts the Prime Minister over the issue of third world debt and poverty in Africa.

Although initially embarrassed, Lawrence realises that she is right and tries to help persuade the Chancellor and others at the summit to do something about the issues concerned.

At the flicks

Cinemagoers were enjoying superhero movie Batman Begins, starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman and Cillian Murphy.

The film rebooted the Batman film series, telling the origin story of Bruce Wayne (Bale) from the death of his parents to his journey to become Batman and his fight to stop Ra's al Ghul and the Scarecrow from plunging Gotham City into chaos.

Batman Begins, directed by Christopher Nolan, was mostly shot in the UK, Iceland and Chicago.

It was followed by the release of The Dark Knight in 2008 and The Dark Knight Rises in 2012.