Troubled pub which police were called to 26 times in 12 months has licence application rejected
A troubled pub will remain closed after an application for a new licence was rejected.
The licensing sub-committee at Sandwell Council made the decision to reject the application by Anthony Melia for the Seven Bar in Wednesbury at a meeting on Friday.
The meeting heard from Mr Melia about his own history with the pub, as well as objections from Environmental Health and West Midlands Police about the history of violence and noise at the pub.
The Seven Bar had its licence revoked in June after West Midlands Police detailed a history of violence at the Lower High Street venue.
Customers claimed there was a "fight in there every week", and over a 12-month period police attended the venue to deal with serious crime on 26 occasions. The pub was accused of continuing to serve drinks while a stabbed man was slumped over the bar bleeding, while another incident saw a man plough his car into people outside. He was later jailed.
Other incidents logged by police include victims being bitten, smashed in the head with a hammer and booted around the floor. There have been multiple stabbings and glassings, brawls of up to 70 people and fights where bottles have been hurled across the beer garden.
Bosses at the venue wanted sell booze until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays and midnight on other days.
A number of conditions were also proposed, including the installation of CCTV and the keeping of a 'refusals register', detailing occasions when customers have been refused service.
However, a statement from West Midlands Police objected to the pub reopening saying the new application offered "very little" by way of new conditions.
After an hour of deliberation, the committee opted to reject the application due to not being convinced of any transformation of the venue, which closed earlier this year, being achievable.
Mr Melia will have the right to appeal to the magistrates within 21 days.
