Yates's bar loses licence after violence

A Yates's Wine Lodge in Swinton, Greater Manchester, has had its licence application rejected by Salford magistrates after they heard that police had been called to 60 violent incidents at the pub over a two-year period.

Yates is to appeal against the decision. The pub will be allowed to carry on trading pending the appeal.

Many of the incidents at the pub in Fountain Square involved allegations against door staff. In one incident father-of-two Frank Buckley, 47, died following a fight with door staff. As a result, doorman Daniel Anderson, and his boss Brian Horrocks, were jailed for five years and three and a half years respectively.

The campaign against the licence was headed by concerned local resident Chris Davies. He told the court there had been a dramatic rise in the number of incidents at the pub. He said that in 2001 just four incidents were reported. That figure rose to 23 in 2002 and 37 in 2003.

Magistrates rejected a compromise put forward by Yates ­ which had been agreed with police ­ whereby the pub would not apply for extensions, would cut down on happy hour promotions and would install extensive CCTV systems and use shatterproof glasses.

In refusing the licence, Roger Hall, chairman of the bench, said that the pub was likely to cause a threat to public safety in the future.

Clare Johnson for Yates's said: "We will lodge an appeal against this refusal and this case will end up in the crown court."