Licence review at Pendle pub after 20-person street brawl (From Burnley and Pendle Citizen)

Licence review at Pendle pub after 20-person street brawl

11:09am Friday 11th May 2012 in News By Tyrone Marshall , Reporter

POLICE have launched a licence review against a Nelson pub after a 20-person street brawl.

During the incident, at the Bull Hotel, Scotland Road, shortly after 3am on March 17, a doorman wielded a baseball bat and a customer had a plank of wood.

Police said it was the “culmination” of a number of incidents caused by late-night boozing.

Now officers want the pub to shut at midnight, instead of 3am.

PC Mark Driver, licensing officer at Lancashire Police, said there had been incidents at the premises for “a number of years”.

He said: “Meetings have been held, the CCTV system upgraded, an action plan agreed and a voluntary early closure implemented.

“The early closure lasted six weeks and resulted in a reduction of reported incidents.

“However, following the resumption of normal operating hours, there have been a further 28 incidents of crime and disorder at the premises, of which 23 have occurred after midnight.

“These incidents culminated in a large-scale disturbance at 3.08am on March 17, when it was reported that 20 people were fighting outside the premises.”

PC Driver said the violence started inside when a fight broke out involving a person banned under the Pub Watch scheme.

It then spilled out into the street, at which point CCTV showed that weapons were involved.

He added: “The police are of the opinion that the actions of staff and customers at the premises are seriously undermining the prevention of crime and disorder licensing objective.

“As such, the current levels of drunkenness and violence associated with the premises can do longer be tolerated.

“It is the belief of the police that the problems at the premises are due to lack of control after midnight and excessive consumption of alcohol during this period leading to disorder.”

Mark Brown, from Admiral Taverns, said: “We are fully committed to working with the police and the local authority to resolve these issues at the Bull.”

Pendle Council’s licensing committee will meet to decide the pub’s fate on Wednesday, May 16.