The Wilsons Arms, a pub in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, branded one of the roughest in Britain by neighbours, has avoided closure but had its opening hours cut following a series of violent incidents.
Incidents include a customer slashing a man across the face with a knife in September, a mass brawl in February where a man was headbutted, another had his head stamped on, and the landlady was hit with a pool cue. In another bizarre incident, a 22-year-old man jealous of his 18-year-old girlfriend threw a brick in the air, which landed on his own head, and also tried to set himself on fire.
Kirklees Council ruled the pub, which only opens on Fridays and Saturdays, should close at 2am instead of 4.30am and increase security staff until 3am. A police statement said the licensee was no longer in control and the pub had become a pseudo nightclub without correct measures.
Neighbours expressed relief. Mark Winfield, 46, who has slept with earplugs for ten years, said: 'It’s bloody awful. I would say it is the roughest pub I know.' Sally Towlend, who lives opposite, added: 'It has the worst reputation in the world.'
Landlady Emma Buckley, 33, said: 'We are open to all at the Wilsons Arms. We don’t want undesirables or troublemakers. I am going to change things. Shutting at midnight would have crippled us. I’m happy with the compromise.' The council asked police to monitor the pub for six months.
