'Horrific' baton attack pub bids for new licence
GoogleA pub that was stripped of its licence following a "horrifying" baton attack involving an unlicensed bouncer is bidding to re-open its doors.
The Prince of Wales in West Bromwich High Street, owned by Rajinder Singh for more than two decades, was shut last month after November's attack that resulted in three customers suffering head injuries, West Midlands Police (WMP) said.
An application for a new licence has now been made by Balbinder Singh.
The pub has been supported by the West Bromwich BID group, which said the Prince of Wales was a "responsible pub" and a "big part of the West Bromwich community".
WMP said one of the pub's door staff involved in the violent disorder did not hold a valid SIA licence and two of the pub's bar staff did not have the right to work in the UK.
Door staff had used "excessive force" and "physically assaulted" customers using an offensive weapon on 16 November, the force said.
'Bleeding from head'
It said a "police-style baton" was passed to a member of door staff by bar staff and was used in view of Mr Singh, who did not call 999 "for a considerable time after".
CCTV footage of the alleged attack was shown in private, but was described as "horrific" and "horrifying" by both police and licence committee member and Sandwell Councillor Richard Jeffcoat.
Officers called to reports of "three members of the public bleeding from the head" said they ran into difficulties with the venue and it took "around 40 minutes" to find out what had happened from Mr Singh and his staff.
Mr Singh's representative admitted the CCTV footage of the attack made for "unpleasant viewing".
However, the representative said the pub owner had been "misled by casual staff" over their right to work as well as the unauthorised doorman, who had worked at the pub for "some time" and who Mr Singh believed held a licence.
This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.
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