The fate of two pubs is set to be decided next week following an incident involving knives and a firearm in Harpurhey.
The Vine on Glendower Drive, Manchester and the Queens Hotel, Sedgeford Road, Harpurhey, were both temporarily banned from serving punters in the wake of a 'pub brawl' on March 12. Greater Manchester Police said a “firearm and bladed weapons” were involved and there was a link to organised crime groups.
The licensing sub committee for Manchester City Council will meet on April 6 to decide the future of both establishments.
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This comes following a review meeting on March 15 where the pub bosses were told they can no longer ‘serve alcohol, provide entertainment for customers (including live music or performances, or provide late night refreshments)’.
Much of the detail from the incident has been redacted and restricted upon request from GMP as it is an ongoing investigation which involved a “serious offence including the use of firearms and weapons” and was “linked to organised crime groups”, Manchester Town Hall was told.
“The committee heard that GMP were at a very early stage of a number of investigations into serious offences arising from the incident which took place on March 12, 2023,” a decision report for the Vine stated.
“The committee also heard that the CCTV which had not been secured was removed from the premises with no credible explanation being offered by the management as to how and when that had occurred.
“The committee also heard that pool cues had been removed from the premises potentially to be used as weapons in the disorder which occurred outside the premises and that a member of staff had gone out to retrieve the pool cues and yet no phone calls had been made to GMP from the staff or management of the premises to report the incident.”
GMP said it had 'a real fear' that if both premises were to remain open pending the review that reprisals and further violence would take place, the committee heard. Because of this and the ‘risk of the safety of the management and staff of the Queens Hotel, the patrons and also other members of the community’, Manchester Town Hall heard it was considered necessary to suspend the licence pending the review on April 6.
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