Murder victim's mother dismayed by bar hours ruling

The mother and girlfriend of a man murdered outside a pub in Ilkeston have shared their disappointment at the venue being allowed to serve alcohol until 02:00 again.

Last summer, Erewash Borough Council, on the advice of police, stripped back The Market Inn and Shakers Bar's alcohol sales hours to 00:30 on Fridays and Saturdays following the murder of Samuel Wilson and the killing of Liam Derrett.

Now, Erewash Borough Council has ruled the Marketplace pub can return to its previous hours.

Wilson's mother, Loraine Wilson, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she felt the reduced hours should have stayed in place.

Wilson, 26, died in December 2023 when a man who had been drinking in The Market Inn drove a van into a group of people.

In June 2025, Liam Derrett was killed after intervening as a "peacemaker" in a brawl on the marketplace, which had started in the Market Inn.

Loraine Wilson told a licensing hearing at Ilkeston Town Hall that residents felt there had been a drop in crime and disorder in the town centre between 01:00 and 04:00 since the change - and reverting could undermine this.

However, 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 they must only follow the legal licensing framework.

Dunn said the venue had strengthened CCTV and been successfully granted one-off events up to 02:00 with permission from the council and the police since last summer.

After considering the arguments, the licensing panel ruled the venue could return to 02:00 opening at weekends.

It said key considerations were the lack of any objections from the police, the additional restrictions and the fact other venues nearby stayed open late.

Following the decision, Loraine Wilson 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?"

Despite the setback, she and Wilson's former girlfriend Lauren Colton are continuing to campaign for further bollards to be installed around the marketplace to restrict vehicular access, with automated rise and fall bollards now being pursued.

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