EVIDENCE of cocaine and ketamine use were just some of the issues identified by inspectors during multi-agency visits to licensed premises in the Caerphilly county borough.

The visits were undertaken by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Trading Standards, Licensing and Environmental Health teams along with Gwent Police to check that pubs are complying with the Licensing Act 2003.

During the inspections, more than one premises was found to have traces of cocaine on many surfaces, including the bar area and toilets, as well as traces of ketamine in another premises.

Other issues included broken toilet facilities, inadequate or lack of signage, inadequate CCTV coverage and insufficient provision to prevent age restricted sales. Some issues were addressed whilst agencies were conducting their inspection and others are still being investigated.

Cllr Eluned Stenner, the council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment and Public Protection, said: “Christmas is one of the busiest times of year for pubs; the safety of customers whilst using these premises over the festive period and throughout the year is a key priority for the council and its partners.

“Whilst the majority of pubs within the county borough do comply with the Licensing Act, the multi-agency visits enable us to identify issues or potential hazards and work with licensees to rectify them.”