Maloney's bar in St Helens has licence revoked after violent disorder

Police had applied to have the licence of Maloney's, on Ormskirk Street, in St Helens town centre reviewed.

A hearing was held at the town hall for the St Helens Council Licensing Sub-Committee to hear representations from the police, the licensing authority, and on behalf of the owner of Maloney's, Peter Edwards.

The venue had relaunched as Maloney’s just four months ago having previously been known as Kandy Klub.

In May the Star reported how a man was glassed and another kicked in the face in separate assaults in the venue.

Shortly after 2.30am on Thursday, May 23, officers were alerted by a member of the public that a man had been assaulted at Maloney’s bar.

Officers saw a man with a head and eye injury. He had been struck in the face with a glass.

Police established that a second incident had happened that night where a man was dragged to the floor and kicked in the face.

A member of security staff tried to help but he was punched in the chin which knocked him unconscious.

The second victim in this assault declined to make a formal complaint, police said.

The committee heard that on the night of the violence, a member of the public had to flag down a passing police vehicle for it to be reported to the authorities.

A police cordon in place outside Maloney's after violence flared at the venue on May 23 (Image: Submitted)

During the hearing held last Thursday, June 20, which lasted more than two hours, Nicola Ireland, Merseyside Police’s licensing officer, said to councillors on the committee, that the events of May 23 were not an “isolated” incident and that there has been a “rapid escalation” of violent incidents since the venue had reopened earlier this year.

Police: Maloney's has seen 'rapid escalation' in incidents

Ms Ireland said: “Merseyside Police are extremely concerned around the serious violence in and around Maloney’s.

“This isn’t the first incident of serious violence that has resulted in serious injury to members of the public and there have been repeated failures around reporting issues to the police, obtaining medical assistance as and when required, and just failing to uphold that crucial licensing objective of preventing crime and disorder.

“We will concede that the incident on May 23 is probably the most severe incident that the premises has suffered but we do not believe it to be, as asserted by Edwards, as isolated.”

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She added: “We are concerned about this relatively rapid escalation in incidents since the premises has reopened as Maloney’s.

“Over the last 12 months, Maloney’s has noted 35 incidents where either contact has been made or police officers or council officers have attended the premises, and 20 of them are from February onwards.

"We had a licensing meeting with (Mr Edwards) prior to the opening of Maloney’s and we did have one at his request on (May) 14 where we did raise our concerns about the escalating issues at the premises.

"It is as a result of these issues we found ourselves at your door, we do believe support has been provided at these premises.”

Maloney's has had its licence revoked (Image: St Helens Star)

Maloney's: 'Good measures have been put in place'

Michael Balmer, the solicitor of Maloney’s owner Peter Edwards, said to the committee members that the events of May 23 were “not preventable” and that incidents at the venue represented a small percentage of incidents in the policing area.

He claimed there had been “little to no engagement” from the licensing authority with his client ahead of the request for the licence to be rescinded.

 “Mr Edwards has ran operated licensed premises in the St Helens area for 10 years,” said Mr Balmer.

“This is the first incident of serious crime and disorder in a number of years, and I would submit on his behalf that it’s unreasonable and unfair to revoke, or indeed to continue to suspend the licence moving forward.

“A number of incidents have been referred to since December 2023. That represents 2.3 per cent of the total incidents that have been recorded by the police in the district and of those 17, some were incidents that were reported by door staff and member of the management of the venue, and not all of those were crime and disorder, let alone serious crime and disorder.

“A number of those incidents, most notably the one on May 23, it’s been conceded were not preventable”, stating “Mr Edwards has acted promptly and swiftly in relation to his actions, in relation to the training, in relation to removing the member of staff who was on duty at the time and discussions with external door company to have door staff removed as and when is appropriate”.

Mr Balmer added: “The main criticism, it seems to me, that is levelled at Mr Edwards, is that he and his staff should be more pro-active when an incident does occur.

“There are measures that have been put in place, the presence of management on each night, from 9pm I would respectfully submit is a good measure.”

He added the committee “should not be approaching this hearing as starting point of revoking the licence and working backwards but whether or not conditions can appropriately address the licensing objectives and if not then moving to varying degrees of severity.”

Mr Balmer claimed “there has been little to no engagement” by the licensing authority to Mr Edwards, citing a meeting on February 8, and on May 14, 2024 at Mr Edwards’ instigation “really flies in the face of the suggestion that these incidents have led to a  critical mass where the committee and police and licensing authority have no options but to revoke the licence.

“We’ve gone from zero to 100, no action plan has been put in place. We’ve gone from nothing happening at all to simply asking for the licence to be revoked.

“It’s unfortunate, St Helens town centre, like many town centres and city centres in the country, will inevitably have problems with drunk people under the influence of drugs and things of that nature, which I’m afraid we’ll never be able to eradicate 100 per cent but Mr Edwards co-operates with the authorities when required.”

The Licensing Sub-Committee hearing took place at the town hall (Image: St Helens Star)

A venue for 'frequent crime and disorder'

However, Christopher Kenny, principal operations officer for licensing at St Helens Council, said to committee members that amending the licence would “not work” and requested for it to be revoked.

In summing up, Mr Kenny said: “Maloney’s has become a venue for frequent crime and disorder, it can happen on any day of the week. These premises have failed in their legal responsibilities and they have failed to promote the licensing objectives.

“These premises have had an enormously negative impact on St Helens town centre and would likely continue to do so unless further action is taken here today.

“Early intervention and multi-agency meetings have not worked, and neither has amending any conditions on the licence. Professionally provided training to key members of staff appears not to have worked either.

“Management and the staff at Maloney’s now appear to have adopted a level of acceptance that serious crime and disorder will occur. Adding further conditions to a licence can only work if they are understood and able to be implemented, adding further conditions to Maloney’s licence would not, I believe, work.

Mr Kenny added: “The events of May 23, 2024, should not be considered isolated flashpoints, they were a build-up of events and for the staff at the premises not to immediately contact the police or an ambulance and it had to be relied upon for a member of the public to flag a passing police vehicle down some time after the incident is totally unacceptable, and demonstrates serious failures in the management of these premises.

“I have received over 20 reports forwarded to me since these premises reopened in mid-February this year.

“The interim steps to suspend Maloney’s licence were appropriate. In light of the evidence provided and to prevent further crime and disorder to protect the public and people who visit and work in our night-time economy, I respectfully submit that the revocation of the Maloney’s premises licence is an appropriate action for you members to take today.”

Committee members then went off to make private deliberations.

When asked, a St Helens Borough Council spokeswoman confirmed to the Star that the committee had decided to revoke Maloney’s licence.