PUB company Enterprise Inns has closed one of its pubs in Northumberland Heath.

Its decision to shut The Pheasant in Belmont Road, came after talks with Bexley police.

Inspector Steve Murrant, who is in charge of licensing for Bexley police, said the pub was rapidly becoming a haunt for members of the RA gang.

The pub was to have been the subject of a test purchase in December as part of a pre-Christmas crackdown on underage drinking, but Mr Murrant said when licensing officer PC Eddy Boston went in before the test purchase was due, he decided the situation inside the pub was “not safe enough”.

Mr Murrant told News Shopper: “I will not have anywhere in the borough where we cannot police or carry out a test purchase.”

He said he had asked to meet the area manager for Enterprise Inns just before Christmas and had told him the company should get a grip on the situation at the pub.

Mr Murrant said he was so unhappy with the area manager’s lack of knowledge about the situation, he had written to the company to complain.

The pub was top of the priority policing tasks set by local people for their safer neighbourhoods policing team, because of the amount of disorder in the area surrounding the pub, including criminal damage and disturbances.

Mr Murrant claimed people felt a sense of intimidation if they went into the pub.

He said he had met representatives from the company again last week to voice his concerns and to tell them the police were intending to issue the pub with a closure notice.

Mr Murrant told News Shopper: “We could not ignore the situation at The Pheasant.

“The alternative was to try and tackle it using officers from the Territorial Support Group and risk a serious disturbance.”

He branded the situation at the pub as “another example of irresponsible management of licensed premises”.

Mr Murrant said a review of the pub’s licence will still go ahead at the request of the police.

He added: “The ball is now in the company’s court.”

No comment is yet available from Enterprise Inns.