Wolverhampton pub ordered to shut as police called 90 times

The Greyhound was the scene of a 'catalogue' of problems including another stabbing and a woman attacked with iron bars according to a committee of councillors who decided that the pub in Bond Street had to shut.

Police say they had been called to the pub 90 times between October 2011 and April 2013 to handle incidents ranging from assaults to theft, suspected drug dealing and suspected under-age drinking.

Last year Mark Brown, who was working as a bouncer at the venue, was jailed for three years for stabbing a man who was refused entry to the pub in the 'heat of the moment' in December 2010 with a knife he claimed belonged to the victim.

Another man was also stabbed in the stomach on March 16 this year. The incident is being investigated and no further details were given.

Police had wanted the pub to at least scale back its opening hours so that it would have to close at 3am instead of 4.30am. Wolverhampton City Council's licensing sub committee took evidence in private in a two-hour session before announcing its decision to shut it.

Chairman Councillor Alan Bolshaw said: "The committee has made a decision which was not taken lightly to revoke the Greyhound's licence.

"The committee heard a catalogue of incidents, unprecedented in number, that have occurred at the venue over a sustained period of time. Some were extremely serious. The committee felt its course of action was to revoke the licence in the interests of public safety."

Landlord Kevin Love, who has run The Greyhound for 15 years, declined to comment.

Pc Natalie Holt, licensing officer for Wolverhampton, said in a report: "Over the past four-and-a-half years the level of incidents has fluctuated but now the gravity of the seriousness of the incidents has increased significantly.

Recent incidents that have occurred at the premises, coupled with intelligence that West Midlands Police is in possession of, regarding the clientele who attend this premise, now causes us so much concern that normal intervention measures will not suffice."

The operators of the nearby Rubicon Casino have also complained about fights at the pub spilling out onto the street.

Casino manager David Whitehouse said in a letter to the committee: "I am continually conscious of individuals who are involved in these exchanges seeking refuge within our establishment and bringing the issues they are experiencing onto our premises."

He added he was concerned for the safety of customers and staff if action was not taken about the Greyhound pub.

In his evidence Mr Whitehouse said he had heard a DJ at the Greyhound announcing alcoholic 'shots available on your way out of the door for £1' and said he felt the pub was 'displaying an irresponsible attitude.