An 'out of control' pub has had its licence revoked following incidents of violence and breaches of coronavirus regulations.

On 17 April, a customer suffered life-threatening injuries at the Bretherton Arms in Chorley which had seen a similarly violent incident occur in September 2020.

An initial review in October 2020 led to reduced hours on alcohol sales as well as conditions relating to door staff with which the pub ‘failed to comply’.

These issues prompted a meeting of the council’s licensing sub-committee after Lancashire Police requested a review into the licence held by Star Pubs and Bars Limited.

Councillor Matthew Lynch, chair of the licensing sub-committee, said: “Members were left with no choice but to take firm action. CCTV footage from 17 April demonstrated that patrons were out of control and that there was no supervision by staff or management.

“There was no adherence to Covid-19 guidelines or social distancing and it is the opinion of police that poor management contributed to a serious offence of violence.

“This is the second serious incident leading to a summary review of the premises licence in the space of 12 months. This is quite remarkable, as such applications by the police are not frequent.

“At the earlier review, the sub-committee was given assurances that there would be greater oversight of the premises along with the appointment of a new designated premises supervisor (DPS) who was experienced in complying with licensing rules and regulations.

“Nevertheless, it is clear there has been no significant improvement to the management of the premises despite this appointment.

“It was clear to the sub-committee that there are chronic issues at the premises, with a common thread being a lack of effective control. Members no longer had confidence that other measures short of revocation were appropriate to promote the licensing objectives.

“While the council is absolutely dedicated to supporting our local hospitality venues as they attempt to get back on their feet, residents can be assured that, where necessary, we will take decisive action in the interests of the prevention of crime and disorder, and public safety.”

The revocation of the licence will take effect at the end of a 21-day appeal period and the premises license will continue to be suspended throughout that period.