A Woolwich pub is at risk of losing its booze licence after an alleged “pub brawl fuelled by drugs and alcohol”.

The Anglesea Arms’ licence has been suspended after the incident, but Met Police are calling for it to be permanently revoked.

Police told the Royal Borough of Greenwich licensing committee on Thursday about an alleged domestic abuse incident that escalated into a “brawl”.

One man was left with a “deep cut” in his head, while one man punched someone “mere feet away from a police officer” in a separate incident, Met Police claimed.

Police also criticised CCTV not working on the night of the incident.

But a spokesperson for the pub told the committee that incidents from that night had been “exaggerated,” and argued it would be “disproportionate” to revoke the pub’s licence.

The legal representative for the police, Michael Feeney, said: “This is a serious matter that arises out of a pub brawl that was fuelled by drugs and alcohol on April 24, where a man was hit over the head with a glass and left with a deep cut to his head, and another man sustained a cut to his eye.

“Police investigation of the matter has been hampered by the fact that CCTV, which was a condition of the licence, was not working at the time.

"The management of the company had known CCTV was not working since late March.

“When officers attended the scene in response to these calls, another fight broke out at the rear of the premises with one man punching another extremely intoxicated man mere feet away from a police officer. 

"The bodycam footage also shows extremely intoxicated customers who were incapable of engaging in rational conversation, or even realising they were missing a shoe before walking away.”

“The link with the pub could not be clearer for all of these incidents.

"The police have no faith in the DPS [designated premises supervisor], in management or in the licence holder’s ability to run the premises in a way that would be consistent with the licensing objections.”

Representing the pub, barrister David Dadds contested where the alleged violent incidents took place, and Mr Feeney’s representation of the pub.

He said: “This is a DPS and a licensee that has been working with the police for the last five years without any cause or complaint, so habitual breaches is factually incorrect.

“The licensee has been here locally in the area for almost 30 years. They fundraise, the premises itself is normally a community-based premises, they have regular pool teams, the customers are generally the same, it’s a proper pub, they describe it as, but they have had little or no interaction with the police arising in the premises.”

“We know revocation, within the guidance, should only be taken as the most draconian or serious step and you have to act with proportionality. This is a premise in the last seven years that hasn’t come to the licensing authority or the police’s attention. It would be disproportionate to revoke the license.”

Mr Dadds also rejected the description of the fight as a “brawl”, and added the pub now had working CCTV. The licensing committee are now discussing the licence in private and will make their decision in the coming days.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service contacted the Met Police for further information.

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