Police call for Stanley Arms licence review over 'bleed-on-the-brain assault' and door supervisor breaches

Notice was given last week that The Stanley Arms would be the subject of a premises licence review to be held by Preston City Council’s licensing sub-committee. Unusually, however, the agenda papers to accompany the meeting were not published - meaning it was not known why the hearing had been called.

Those documents have now been released just ahead of the committee gathering and they reveal the basis for the review request, which was made by Lancashire Police.

On 14th August, the force had received a report that a man had been assaulted inside the Lancaster Road premises just after midnight. According to the agenda papers, he was punched once in the face - causing him to fall backwards, hit his head on a wooden table and collapse, lying bleeding on the floor.

He was taken to hospital where it was found that he had suffered a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain.

Just a few days before that incident, the venue had been subject to an unannounced visit by the police and Preston City Council licensing officers in order to inspect door supervisor records. That revealed that the premises had “breached its licence multiple times” since additional conditions were imposed last December following a spate of ‘glassing’ attacks. Those additional rules included requiring a specific number of door supervisors to be on duty on certain days.

The Stanley Arms’ now former landlord revealed on Facebook earlier this month that the venue would be closing until further notice because of what were described as “licensing pressures”

Paul Butcher, who was the premises licence holder and designated premises supervisor, has since relinquished both of those roles and an application to transfer the premises licence to Star Pubs and Bars Limited was received by the city council last week.

The licensing hearing will take place at the town hall on Thursday at 10.30am.