Family of man murdered by intoxicated pub customer share disappointment over venue’s late alcohol sales permit

The Market Inn pub in Ilkeston Marketplace. Image from Google.

By Eddie Bisknell – Local Democracy Reporting Service

The mother and girlfriend of a man murdered outside a Derbyshire pub have shared their disappointment at the venue being allowed to serve alcohol to 2am once again.

Loraine Wilson and Lauren Colton spoke out after officials on Erewash Borough Council allowed the Market Inn pub and Shakers Bar in Ilkeston Market Place to return to 2am alcohol sales despite pleas for current restrictions to remain in place.

Last summer, the council, at the advice of police, had stripped back the venues’ alcohol sales to midnight Sundays through Thursdays and 00.30am on Fridays and Saturdays. They had previously been set at 1am and 2am respectively.

The restrictions came after the Market Inn was connected with 63 incidents of crime and disorder within a year, including two deaths and 26 acts of violence.

On December 16th, 2023, Loraine’s son, 26-year-old Samuel Wilson, was murdered after a man who had been drinking in the Market Inn drove a van into a group of people on the marketplace.

Meanwhile, on June 1, 2025, 19-year-old Liam Derrett, from Kirk Hallam, was killed after intervening as a “peacemaker” in a brawl on the marketplace, which had started in the Market Inn.

Last week’s licensing hearing saw Ms Wilson tell Ilkeston Town Hall that residents felt there had been a drop in crime and disorder in the town centre between 1am and 4am following the restrictions for the Market Inn being implemented.

She said: “This risks undermining the licensing objectives which had to my son’s life being taken away. Many families are living with that loss every day. Last summer we had another life lost.

“All I want to know is whether this is going to come with more support, more security, more dispersals, I don’t want to see that six months down the line when it goes all quiet and then something happens again.”

Following the hearing, Ms Wilson spoke of her “disappointment” at the 2am sales being allowed once more.

She said: “I am very disappointed. We never really stood a chance. 

“It only had its hours reduced last summer, it hasn’t even been in place for a year. Why not carry it on for another year.”

Ms Wilson is currently leading a campaign, alongside Samuel’s girlfriend Lauren Colton, to have further bollards installed around the market place to restrict vehicular access, with automated rise and fall bollards now being pursued.

Ms Colton said after the hearing: “We have had two serious incidents, two deaths, connected to this pub, it is not something small. Even if other venues are already allowed to sell alcohol until 2am, they haven’t had fatal incidents.”

Mark Dunn, agent for the owners, Nestcare Ltd, and Market Inn landlord, Peter Byrne, told the hearing that councillors had the right to recognise the emotion around the situation but that they must only follow the legal licensing framework.

He said: “There has been nothing said by the applicant aiming at diminishing what is felt. However, it is not the panel’s duty to adjudicate tragedy or attribute symbolic amends.

“We are here to assess the likelihood of future risk, not to punish the applicants for previous events which have already been subject to an expedited review which concluded with extra conditions which have been implemented fully.

“The application today is not a review and historic matters have already been thoroughly examined, they cannot be re-litigated repeatedly.”

Mr Dunn said the venue had strengthened CCTV, had wider licensed door staff conditions, and better dispersal and ID policies.

He said the venue had already been successfully granted and operated temporary one-off events up to 2am with the permission of the council and police since last June.

He said the 2am hours were the “local norm” and that the venue sought “parity”.

Mr Dunn said customers would currently not leave the town centre after the Market Inn closed but simply attend another venue that was still open, saying this was “displacement, rather than elimination” of the issue.

Allowing the 2am alcohol sales at the Market Inn would “reduce concentration”, he said.

Mr Dunn said there was “no clear or evidenced justification” to oppose the return to 2am sales.

After a brief private recess, Councillor Pam Phillips, chairing the meeting, read out the panel’s decision, saying they had “sincere sympathy for the families and loved ones of those who tragically lost their lives”, but must decide applications purely on the relevant licensing legislation.

She said key contributions were the lack of any objections from the police, the additional restrictions and the fact that other venues nearby already operate until “the late hours”.

The venue would need to have a minimum of three licensed door supervisors on duty on Fridays and Saturdays from 11pm until close, with additional staff deployed as necessary.

The venue currently requires three members of door staff, but from 9pm onwards, two hours earlier, with the last entry at 11pm.

All of these staff must wear “distinctive” clothing to identify their roles, while door supervisors must wear high-visibility clothing.