Popular Birmingham bar gets licence back after stabbing
O Bar had to adopt a new measures to have its licence formally reinstated.
A popular bar in Broad Street has had its licence officially reinstated after two security staff were stabbed following a disorder inside the venue.
O Bar, on the corner of Broad Street and Gas Street in Birmingham city centre, had its licence to serve alcohol reinstated with conditions by Birmingham city council on Wednesday (6 June).
The conditions imposed on the licence include all customers and musicians to be searched after 21:00, body cameras on security guards, and bleed kits on site.
During a licensing meeting held by Birmingham city councillors, West Midlands police said they were “confident” those employed at the O Bar would ensure safe trading.
They praised the venue for being “proactive” following the double stabbing and said it was “unlikely that there would be any further serious crime or disorder incidents”.
In a report presented to councillors, Birmingham city council stated: “The police view was that adopting the interim step conditions onto the licence (permanently) would ensure a robust regime, such that the licensing objectives could be upheld.
“The police also observed that the management team was satisfactory, noting that the premises had volunteered its incident report and extra CCTV footage.
“Since the reopening, there had been no issues noted by the local teams policing the night-time economy area of Birmingham”.
While the venue has traded since 13 May, after a temporary licence suspension on 11 May, today’s announcement by the city council formally lifts the licence review.
The majority of the meeting was held in private due to an “ongoing criminal investigation.”
Christopher Jones, licensing officer at West Midlands police said: “There is an outstanding person of interest invovled in the investigation that still needs to be arrested. I ask the committee therefore to hear the meeting in private to not prejudice the criminal side of the investigation.”
O bar had its licence suspended temporarily by Birmingham city council in May after West Midlands police applied for a review of its licence following a double stabbing during the Coronation bank holiday.
A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
In a letter to the council, superintendent Alison Hurst said one of the security guards was “stabbed several times” and the other “once”.
She said: “Whilst waiting for an ambulance to arrive, police officers gave first aid to the victims. CCTV is also being examined for the incident which happened on the bank holiday weekend.
“West Midlands police have concerns with how the incident has taken place in the premises and what control measures the premises had in place at the time.
“There are also concerns, from attending officers of how the scene was managed by the venue management and staff.”
Carl Moore, representing the designated premises supervisor Ruxandra Niculescu, said Mr Niculescu was a “ very capable and experienced person” who had carefully implemented all the conditions.
Mr Moore said the violent events over the coronation bank holiday were a “one-off incident which had simply been unfortunate”.