VIOLENCE at a North Harrow pub has forced police to help shut down the venue after they catalogued a spate of assaults including a stabbing.
Having recorded a number of serious fights at JD'S Lounge in Pinner Road since November 2009 officers took the decision that they had no option but to urge Harrow Council to suspend its licence on Friday last week.
In a rare move, an emergency council licensing panel sat in the morning and the bar was closed immediately, pending a full hearing on March 31.
A report on the bar, lodged by Superintendent Neil Vyse, reveals that on one occasion a punter was hit over the head with a stool, while during another incident a door supervisor lost a tooth after he was elbowed in the face.
In another case a man wearing a balaclava and brandishing a knife was kicked and punched to the ground and had to his head stamped on, while another man received a small puncture wound to his side.
The final straw for police came when, on March 5, following calls from residents they found four injured men in a kebab shop close by.
One was lying across two chairs having been kicked in both kneecaps, causing them to lock, while another was sent to an eye specialist after he suffered a four inch gash below his right eyelid which had also cut his eyeball.
The report states that during the melee they were 'attacked by up to 20 other customers using fists, feet, bottles and beer glasses'.
Supt Vyse states: "I am giving this certificate because I am of the opinion that other procedures under the Licensing Act are inappropriate in this case, because of disorder and a serious assault whilst licence conditions have been ignored and Licensing Objectives undermined.
"Mr Romaine is the Designated Premises Supervisor and PS Crump spoke to him on Monday March 7, however the content of the conversation from Mr Romaine has given me a firm belief that the Premises is not being effectively managed and that this will lead to further incidents of both serious crime and disorder."
Headstone Lane resident Anne Evans, 57, said: "It is not somewhere I have ever been to but I didn't realise this sort of thing was happening there.
"I think if it is attracting the wrong crowds to the area then the police have done the right thing.
"While all pubs are likely to have some issues no one wants this level of disturbance on their doorstep."
Those behind the running of the bar where unavailable for comment but the licence holder has indicated that they will appeal the suspension of the licence and a hearing for this may take place next week.
