West Bromwich 'gang' pub shut down for 30 days after becoming 'no-go zone'

Officers said the Star and Garter had become a 'no-go zone' due to drugs and weapons on the premises.

West Midlands Police moved to have the High Street pub closed over concerns someone could be seriously hurt or killed.

However, it will be allowed to remain open after councillors decided to suspend the licence for 30 days rather than revoke it at a meeting yesterday.

Police licensing officer Mick Boyd said it was 'only a matter of time' before there was a serious incident at the pub.

A running knife battle in the town centre and another incident when a group of men were threatened with a gun were both said to have been linked to the pub.

Licensing bosses at Sandwell Council were told a man was stabbed in the back behind The Public building in May before heading to the Star and Garter as blood poured from him.

An attempted murder inquiry was subsequently launched and is still ongoing.

The suspect said to have pointed a gun at the men in Hartlebury Road, Oldbury, in October last year abandoned his car at the pub and was believed to have gone inside, police said.

The pub was raided in June when almost £2,000 worth of cannabis was found in a speaker – while a customer was found in possession of a pocket knife with an 11cm blade.

Mr Boyd said: "We have not been shown anything that the pub will not go back into the control of gangs.

"My fear is that it is only a matter of time before someone dies through someone being shot or stabbed."

Sgt Shaun Cross, from the West Bromwich Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "It has become clear the Star and Garter has become a blight on the local community and is having an impact on businesses in the area.

"Members of the community have described it as a no-go zone and have refused to use that area as a result of what is going on.

"In my opinion it is only a matter of time before a serious incident occurs."

The pub was closed last week by its owners PH UK Properties ahead of the hearing, while the management has now been removed.

West Midlands Police said the actions were 'too little too late' and that the only option to protect public safety was to shut the pub down.

Heath Thomas, acting on behalf of the company, said the 'root cause' of the problems lay with the previous management, rather than the owners.

Councillor Peter Allen, chairman of the licensing committee, said he agreed.

The committee ordered CCTV to be installed and said door staff must work from 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays.