A HOTEL and pub with a long record of violence and drug abuse has shut down and is under threat of losing its licence permanently.

The Great Western Hotel, in Vyne Road, has had a chequered past and has already had two previous non-compliance issues with the police in 2005 and 2006.

Since the venue re-opened in 2008, it has been taken on by several different licensees with long periods of closure in between.

Now Hampshire Constabulary has called for a review of the location’s licence.

This review will be heard at a borough council meeting on Monday.

The most recent licence holder, Morgan O’Kennedy, took over the premises in October 2013, according to a report which states since that the venue has continued to operate not in accordance with its premises licence and has suffered from serious anti-social behaviour and violence incidents.

In the review application, a string of incidents dating back to September 2015 are listed and include episodes of underage drinking, violence, fighting and drug dealing.

In total between September 2015 and November 2017, police were called to the venue 11 times.

In the review there was reference to an incident on January 14, 2017, in which “a drunk female member of staff had punched a male to the face”.

A few months later, the manger of the hotel Lucy Watson was verbally abused and “a fight had broken out and a customer had been glassed and there was blood everywhere”, according to the report presented.

Following the glassing incident, police and council licensing officers attended the premises to discuss serious concerns over the running of the premises with Mr O’Kennedy.

They outlined several conditions attached to the premises licence which were not being complied with.

The review has been called on the grounds that the licence holder has not met the objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the protection of children from harm and the prevention of public nuisance.

A statement from the police in the report said: “Hampshire Constabulary has exhausted all attempts to resolve the situation to no avail and the only option left available is to call for a review of the premises licence for the Great Western Hotel and ask the licensing subcommittee to revoke the premises licence in full.”

The Great Western Hotel’s owner, the Ei Group, was approached for comment.