Manchester Bar 11 staff lost control and used metal barriers as weapons in very violent street fight

‘Very violent’ fighting took place ‘in the middle of the road’ outside Bar 11, an underground watering hole on Bridge Street, after a man was asked to leave the premises on July 7, but refused to move out of its entranceway.

He then ‘telephoned someone’ and after ‘a short time a vehicle turned up’ containing a passenger who ‘got out with a baseball bat [and] approached Bar 11 ready to hit someone with it’.

That was according to PC Aftab Hussain, speaking at a town hall meeting where Bar 11’s licence to operate was reviewed.

PC Hussain then said Bar 11’s ‘designated premises supervisor’ (DPS) — the person who is legally responsible for the bar — was seen on CCTV ‘to come outside and pick up metal barrier to defend himself’

The man with the baseball bat then returned to the car, but was ‘followed by the DPS, door staff, and a staff member’.

“A fight ensues,” PC Hussain continued. “The DPS can be seen to smash the windscreen with a metal barrier. The vehicle drives off towards Salford. It was stopped a short time later. A male was arrested for affray.”

Police were called to the scene at 3.24am on July 7, it was confirmed. A second man has since been arrested, and both have been charged with affray.

During a previous hearing, DPS Mr Ylber Imeri admitted ‘he had lost control’, PC Hussain said. He added: “The staff member working behind the bar made it clear that he felt he was in danger of these people returning again.”

Mr Imeri did not attend the town hall hearing on Friday, something councillors said was ‘disappointing’.

After initially asking for Bar 11 to be shut down, the police said it could remain open if more stringent conditions were placed on its operation.

They included reducing opening hours from 5.30am to 3.30am, banning outdoor furniture outside, beefing up security, and removing Mr Imeri as the DPS.

The three-councillor licensing panel, chair by John Hughes, agreed to GMP’s request. He said: “Such as the seriousness of the case, the panel did consider revoking the license but we have stepped back from that.”

Legal adviser to the panel, Barbara Gora, explained why: “The decision is to remove the DPS and also to amend the license by amending the hours so it is a 3.30am closure, 3am [limit on] alcohol and licensable activities, and last entry at 2.30am.

“No outdoor furniture is to be placed outside the premises. Two SIA door staff wearing body worn cameras are to be used after 10pm outside the premises, when they operate after midnight. Those are the conditions for the license.

“The reasons are the committee have considered everything said today, the papers, and CCTV. They are very concerned about this very violent incident which took place on a busy road and the reaction from staff.

“They understand the need to defend themselves, but it was clear they lost control. Instead of seeing if customers were safe inside, they instead pursued them and smashed the vehicle putting other road users in danger.

“The premises had not previously come to the attention of police. But those extended hours had only been in operation since earlier this year the incident did occur during the extended hours.

“The committee did consider it appropriate to reduce those later hours. There did not appear to be any issues previously at reduced hours.

“The committee was disappointed not to hear from the DPS. But they did hear from police retribution was far less likely than it was.

“In the circumstances, the committee considers it appropriate to impose the condition and revoke the DPS.

“The suspension is lifted today and we will impose the same condition and steps on the main license as the interim steps including the removal of the DPS. The premises will not be able to open until they have a new DPS in place, the hours are amended, and they have SIA door staff.”