POLICE have called for a review of the premises licence for an Isle of Wight hotel following a drunken brawl when 40 people fought in the street after a disco.
Police said the disturbance at the Holliers Hotel, Shanklin, happened in the early hours of December 1, last year, when there were minor outbreaks of disorder both inside and outside the premises, culminating in 'serious disorder’ breaking out among the dispersing crowd.
At one point, around 40 people were fighting in the street and a lone police dog handler at the scene was surrounded by a hostile crowd.
Details of the incident have been included in a report due to be heard by members of the Isle of Wight Council’s Regulatory Committee next Monday.
According to police, within the hotel’s piano bar, the husband of the hotel manager was punched in the face by a customer and staff were involved in the disturbance outside.
The fights spread over much of Shanklin Old Village and the incident left blood, broken glass and abandoned drinks bottles on the road and pavements.
However, when a police licensing officer visited Holliers no CCTV footage of the incidents in the premises was available.
The licence holder at the premises also confirmed to police that on the night of the fights, bar staff did not refuse to sell drink to anyone on the grounds of their being drunk.
On December 18, police and Trading Standards officers carried out a 'test purchase’ operation at Holliers and found a member of staff at the piano bar sold alcohol to a 16-year-old, having failed to request a proof of age. The staff member was fined.
Environmental Health officers have also received 17 complaints about noise nuisance said to be associated with the hotel since January 2006.
Anecdotal evidence suggested the problem occurs when the doors or windows of the hotel are open, according to the report.
The licence holder, Stephen Leach, has told the council he is willing to display signs to help in preventing nuisance and is willing to begin a log book to records complaints of nuisance.
Reporter: davidn@iwcpmail.co.uk