Brawl bar ‘scapegoat’ as licence is revoked

THE owner of Brownz Wine Bar in Yorkshire Street, which had its licence revoked yesterday after three men were stabbed in a drunken brawl, claims he has been made an example of.

Winston Eastmond, who was applying to become the bar’s designated premises supervisor, said he felt the bar had been used as a scapegoat following trouble last month.

Superintendent Chris Sykes forced the fast-track licence review after violence flared between rival gangs from Oldham and Manchester in the early hours of March 27.

Police received reports of 30 men fighting in Yorkshire Street with bottles. Three men were stabbed in the face, head and back, including Mr Eastmond’s 23-year-old son.

One man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police told yesterday’s hearing how trouble began inside Brownz and quickly turned into a “very large-scale disturbance” when it spilled out on to the street.

They said, upon arrival, Mr Eastmond (pictured) and his staff were being unco-operative and reluctant to answer questions.

Police also said they had received intelligence on March 31 that men had gone to Brownz to find Mr Eastmond’s son due to an on-going feud and would not be happy until he was seriously harmed.

Alison Heywood, representing GMP, said along with the length and scale of the incident, the nature of injuries to the victims, the threats made to Mr Eastmond’s son and the bar’s reputation, they were applying for the licence to be revoked.

However, Mr Eastmond said bouncers quickly removed the offenders and no serious injuries happened inside the bar. The owner said there had been no trouble during the nine months he had run Brownz — an over-25s only bar on Fridays and Saturdays.

Mr Eastmond said there was a “no search, no entry” policy on Thursdays when the bar opened its doors to anyone over the age of 18. Metal detectors checked revellers for weapons upon entry and only plastic glasses were used.

The owner told the panel he was very concerned about what he believed was the police’s view that Afro-Caribbean people were part of the problem.

He said a police action plan had never been offered to him unlike other Oldham establishments. He added: “We had removed those people at the first sign of trouble. The fact they went and got weapons is not something we can be responsible for. We regret what has happened but when people leave the club and go to Yorkshire Street, we shouldn’t be held responsible.”

Councillor Jim McArdle, panel chairman, said the decision to revoke the licence was due to serious crime and disorder, and a real threat of further incidents.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Eastmond, who said he would be appealing against the decision, said: “We feel that this has been a modern day lynching without the rope. We’ve been used as a scapegoat, have been discriminated against and will be pursuing the matter.”