The County, in Walker, to reopen under new management

The County, in Walker, was served a closure notice earlier this month amid complaints that it had a “significant history of incidents of crime and disorder” and that staff had “no control” over its customers.

Long-running concerns over mass brawls and anti-social behaviour surrounding the Walker Road bar culminated in an incident on December 20 last year, when there were reports of a man seen with a machete and around 20 people fighting outside the pub.

The venue, recently named the ‘radgiest’ in the North East by popular TikToker Liam Lavery, is currently subject to a court order forcing it to remain closed until February 5, but city councillors have decided not to revoke its licence. 

However, when The County reopens it will be subject to strict conditions aimed at turning around its reputation.

Newcastle City Council’s licensing sub-committee heard on Monday morning that police will be upping patrol levels in the area and will have a list of people to be issued Community Protection Notices banning them from the pub.

Neighbourhood inspector Craig Patchett told the review hearing that the plan to let the bar reopen was “not without risk” but that police wanted to “support that community pub”.

Police solicitor Hayley Hebb described how pub staff had been reluctant to act to deal with past problems – either out of loyalty to customers or because they were “simply frightened” and did not want to report incidents to the police “for fear of some sort of reprisal”.

Ms Hebb added:  “That is no way to run a licensed premises. The police view is that those involved with the crime, disorder, and anti-social behaviour had the control or the run of the place – or, at least that staff did not have the confidence, ability, and a willing to intervene or check or try to control those people getting inside the premises.”

Evidence presented to councillors on Monday included a lengthy list of incidents, including mass brawls last September and March, people throwing fireworks at cars on Bonfire Night, and youths setting a fire in the neighbouring car park of the Tree Top retirement village in October 2024.

Malcolm Ireland, representing pub owner Trust Inns, said that the site’s problems were being caused by an “element of undesirables”.

He added that the pub’s previous tenants had not been directly involved in criminal or anti-social behaviour, but “simply weren’t strong enough” to challenge it.

Mr Ireland confirmed that the pub’s designated premises supervisor had already been removed from its licence and said it was “very unlikely” that The County would reopen as soon as the closure order expires in early February – pledging that Trust Inns would “take our time to get it right” when selecting a new tenant.

Among the conditions agreed with the police and approved by the committee on Monday is a requirement for at least two door staff to be stationed outside the premises every Friday and Saturday night for two months after it reopens.

Mr Ireland said this would “send a clear message to the public that things will be different to how they were previously” and help in dealing with potential conflicts with problem customers who “won’t like it when they are told that they are no longer welcome”. 

The conditions also include all children having to be accompanied by an adult at all times in the pub and to have left the premises by 7pm.

Patrons will also be banned from taking drinks away from the pub, other than in its enclosed outdoor seating area.

City council licensing boss Jonathan Bryce said that talks with the licence holder over The County had been “constructive”  and that the revised conditions would be a “significant improvement” in the hope of producing a “far more robust and controlled” operation.