Key Points
- Police from Dyfed-Powys have called for modifications to the licensing of The Griffin Inn located in Llyswen, Powys.
- The police has been raising issues of crime, disorder, and public safety.
- The pub has been selected as one of the top pubs in Wales.
- The information was reported in County Times on 29 October 2026.
Wales (Wales Times) October 30, 2026 — Dyfed-Powys Police have asked for changes to the premises licence of The Griffin Inn in Llyswen, Powys, citing concerns about crime, disorder and public safety at the award-nominated pub.
As reported by the County Times, the police force is seeking licence changes for The Griffin Inn, which has been nominated as one of the best pubs in Wales. The report states that Dyfed-Powys Police raised concerns connected to “crime, disorder and public safety”.
The County Times did not publish, in the material available, the precise wording of the police application, the individual incidents said to have prompted it, the proposed conditions, or a scheduled licensing hearing. This report therefore confines itself to the information publicly reported and does not attribute any allegation of wrongdoing to The Griffin Inn, its management, staff or customers.
What Have Police Asked For?
Dyfed-Powys Police have sought changes to the pub’s premises licence, according to the County Times. The force’s stated concerns are crime, disorder and public safety.
A premises licence governs matters such as the sale of alcohol and, where applicable, regulated entertainment and late-night refreshment. Police forces can make representations to licensing authorities in relation to licensed premises where they consider licensing objectives may be affected.
The four licensing objectives under the Licensing Act 2003 are the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm. The concerns reported at The Griffin Inn align with two of those objectives: prevention of crime and disorder, and public safety.
Why Is The Griffin Inn Involved?
The Griffin Inn is in Llyswen, near Brecon in Powys, and is listed by the Food Standards Agency as a pub, bar or nightclub business. Its registered address is given as Griffin Inn, Llyswen, Brecon, Powys, LD3 0UR.
The County Times reported that the venue has been nominated as one of the best in Wales. That recognition forms part of the context of the police action, although the nomination itself is separate from the licensing concerns raised by Dyfed-Powys Police.
The public report does not state when the nomination was made, which award or scheme is involved, or whether the nomination has any bearing on the police application.
What Does The Police Action Mean?
A request for licence changes does not, by itself, establish that a licence holder has breached the law or that allegations made by police are proven. It means a responsible authority has raised matters for consideration through the licensing process.
Under licensing arrangements, responsible authorities—including police—may make representations concerning applications to grant, vary or review a premises licence. Those representations must be relevant to the statutory licensing objectives.
Where a chief officer of police believes premises associated with alcohol sales are linked to serious crime, disorder, or both, the legislation provides a route for police to apply for a review of the licence. A hearing may then be held, at which the licence holder and other interested parties may make representations.
The County Times report describes the action as a police request for “licence changes”, rather than confirming that a formal review hearing has been listed or that a decision has been made.
What Has Not Been Made Public?
The available reporting does not identify:
- The date of the alleged incidents, if any, connected with the police concerns.
- The nature of any individual complaint or investigation.
- The exact licence conditions Dyfed-Powys Police want imposed, amended or removed.
- Whether the pub’s operator has submitted a response or representation.
- The date of any licensing committee meeting or hearing.
- Whether any other responsible authority, local resident or interested party has made representations.
No statement from The Griffin Inn, its owners or its management appears in the available County Times material. No findings against the business have been reported.
How Are Licensing Decisions Made?
Licensing authorities must consider representations against the statutory objectives set out in the Licensing Act 2003. Those objectives include preventing crime and disorder, ensuring public safety, preventing public nuisance and protecting children from harm.
Police are recognised as a key source of advice on crime and disorder in licensing matters. Local licensing policies also emphasise cooperation between councils, police and licensed premises in addressing risks associated with the night-time economy.
Guidance in Welsh local authority licensing policies commonly refers to measures such as CCTV, staff training, risk assessments for events or promotions, and procedures to protect staff and customers. Such measures are examples of the type of controls licensing authorities may consider; the available reporting does not say whether any of these measures form part of the Dyfed-Powys Police request concerning The Griffin Inn.
What Happens Next?
The next stage depends on the procedural route taken by Dyfed-Powys Police and the relevant licensing authority. If the matter proceeds to a hearing, the licence holder will normally have the opportunity to respond, present evidence and propose conditions or operational changes.
The licensing authority may then decide whether to impose, vary or reject proposed conditions, or take other action available under licensing law. Any decision would need to be based on the evidence and representations before it, and would be directed towards promoting the licensing objectives.
Until the authority publishes a decision, or further details emerge, the police request should be treated as an unresolved licensing matter rather than a concluded regulatory finding.
Background Of The Development
The Griffin Inn is a licensed pub in Llyswen, Powys, a village in the Brecon area. The Food Standards Agency lists The Griffin Inn (Llyswen) Limited as a pub, bar or nightclub and records an inspection date of 29 January 2026.
Dyfed-Powys Police is the territorial police force for Powys. Its remit includes responding to crime, anti-social behaviour and public-safety issues across the county.
The County Times published its report on 29 October 2026 under the headline “Police raise crime and disorder worries at pub nominated as one of the best in Wales”. The report said Dyfed-Powys Police were seeking licence changes at The Griffin Inn because of concerns about crime, disorder and public safety.
Licensing law in England and Wales places crime and disorder, public safety, public nuisance and child protection at the centre of decisions about licensed premises. Police representations are one mechanism through which those objectives are tested.
Prediction: How Could This Affect Local Residents And Pub Customers?
For local residents in Llyswen, the development may lead to closer scrutiny of how the pub manages late trading, customer behaviour and any incidents reported in the surrounding area. If licensing conditions are imposed, they could affect opening hours, alcohol service, security arrangements, event management or other operational controls, although no such conditions have been confirmed publicly.
For customers, the immediate effect may be uncertainty while the licensing process continues. If the police and the licence holder reach an agreement, or if the licensing authority imposes conditions, visitors could see changes to how the venue operates, particularly during busy periods.
For the wider Powys hospitality sector, the case is a reminder that award recognition and licensing compliance are separate matters. A pub may receive public or industry recognition while still being subject to police representations or licensing conditions.
