YOU have to feel a lot of sympathy for Catherine Loydall and Alistair Tuffin, the landlords barred from selling alcohol at the Fox Inn in Souldern, because of an mix-up over the premises licence.

But what is worrying – without wishing to heap any further misery on the couple, who appear blameless – is that Cherwell District Council did not notice the problem for several months.

The council should be vigilant on such matters, because the law is the law.