![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0_CCP_NEC_150126_COUNTY002JPG.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe County pub in Walker has been served a one-month closure notice and will have its licence reviewed by Newcastle City Council next week<\/p>\n
The County in Walker which has recently been closed down.(Image: ChronicleLive)<\/p>\n
A Tyneside pub has been ordered to close for a month, amid police complaints that its staff have \u201cno control\u201d over the premises. The County, in Walker, was served a closure notice earlier this month and now faces a review of its licence by city officials next week.<\/p>\n
Northumbria Police<\/a> has warned that the pub, recently named the \u2018radgiest\u2019<\/a> in the North East by popular TikToker Liam Lavery, has a \u201csignificant history of incidents of crime and disorder\u201d. A catalogue of events due to be presented to city councillors next week includes reports of mass brawls outside the Walker Road bar and fireworks being thrown at vehicles.<\/p>\n An order was granted for a one-month closure of the pub, owned by Trust Inns, at South Tyneside<\/a> Magistrates Court on January 5. Newcastle City Council<\/a>\u2019s licensing sub-committee will meet next Monday, January 19, at which councillors could decide to revoke or vary the venue\u2019s licence.<\/p>\n Evidence presented to the court from local police constable Marcello Rocha states that patrons of the pub \u201chave been involved in serious incidents of crime and disorder on or immediately outside\u201d it and that the problems have been \u201ccompounded by the lack of adequate management\u201d. PC Rocha said that there are concerns that management \u201cdo not have control of the premises and patrons through fear or neglect of their duties\u201d.<\/p>\n In submissions to the council, neighbourhood inspector Craig Patchett added: \u201cIt appears that staff and the DPS [designated premises supervisor] at the premises have no control over who enters the premises and has use of the same. The CCTV footage viewed by police shows persons sitting inside or wandering in out and of the premises who do not appear to purchase anything from the bar area but are allowed to sit inside and\/or wander around the premises.<\/p>\n \u201cThe DPS and staff working at the premises do not appear to grasp the seriousness of the issues and appear reluctant to want to engage with police in relation to the same. That reluctance is suspected by police to be because of familiarity or some sense of loyalty staff may have to some of the patrons or their associates, or possibly fear or concern at how those patrons and\/or their associates would respond if they knew or became aware that staff have engaged with police in relation to incidents of crime and disorder on or near to the premises.\u201d<\/p>\n Police detail incidents including on December 20 last year, when there were reports of a man seen with a machete and around 20 people fighting outside the pub. Similar mass brawls were reported last September and March, while there are also details of people throwing fireworks at cars on Bonfire Night and youths setting a bonfire in the neighbouring car park of Tree Top retirement village in October 2024.<\/p>\n In his evidence, council licensing boss Jonathan Bryce also highlights complaints from neighbours over \u201cconstant fighting and arguing in the street from people at the pub\u201d and the pub \u201cattracting gangs to the area\u201d. Following the closure order, the pub has already removed its DPS from the licence.<\/p>\n The police have asked the council \u201cat the very least\u201d to impose restrictions that would include children being banned from entering after 7pm and the deployment of door security every Friday and Saturday night. The Local Democracy Reporting Service has contacted the pub and Trust Inns for a response.<\/p>\n