Police call for troubled city bar to be closed down permanently

The Empire Bar, in Charter Square, Sheffield, has been shut down before, but was most recently forced to close after police were called to a large disturbance in the early hours of Monday, April 25, which led to a man being stabbed.

An emergency closure order was granted by city magistrates after that event, which not only saw the fight break out but a related car crash nearby minutes later in which someone was seriously injured.

Following that, Sheffield Council’s licensing board was told that it must review the licence – which has already been examined at least twice in the wake of earlier fights and police concerns at the bar.

The review will take place at a meeting today at Sheffield Town Hall, which will be attended by senior officers from South Yorkshire Police who have called for the bar to be closed permanently.

In a report to the meeting, Supt Martin Hemingway, who is in command of the Sheffield city centre policing team, says the bar poses an “unacceptable risk” in terms of disorder and gang-related violence.

His report says: “I can say from my enquiries that the disorder at the club involving rival groups of men appears to have led to the deliberate running down of a man on a nearby street.

“Again, police enquiries continue into this matter and have, as in previous cases, been met with a lack of co-operation and hostility.

“One of the consequences of the violence and gang-related activity at Empire Bar is that a hugely disproportionate amount of police time is taken up in dealing with problems associated with the premises.

“This involves developing intelligence, mounting overt police operations and investigating serious violent crimes.

“Within this latter factor, investigating serious violent crime without the assistance of the victim is a hugely significant indicator of criminal gang involvement.

“I believe that if the Empire Bar were to open there would again be likely disorder on or in the vicinity of and related to the premises.

“The continued closure of the premises is necessary in the interest of public safety.”

According to figures supplied by Supt Hemingway, 16 serious incidents occurred inside the premises between September and December last year, including five where serious injuries were caused.

He said the incidents were “characterised by the hostility of patrons and injured parties to police” and a “refusal to co-operate with enquiries, even when the victim”.

Police called to the incident on April 25 had also been called to the bar two nights earlier, and officers said on the second occasion they were forced to use pepper spray and batons to restore order among people fighting outside the premises.

Supt Hemingway’s report to be examined by today’s meeting concludes: “It is my view and that of South Yorkshire Police that the continued opening of the Empire Bar presents unacceptable risks in terms of the repeated and serious incidents involving violence and disorder. These incidents have become associated with the premises and its patrons.

“The licensee and managers of the premises are incapable of exerting proper control over activities there.”

The licence holder for the Empire Bar, a firm called H and J Management Ltd and Nicholas Randall, the supervisor of the premises, are being represented by Sheffield solicitors John Gaunt and Partners.

Nobody was available to comment on the licensing review today.

The meeting of the board takes place at Sheffield Town Hall at 10am.