A LATE-night pub in Rawtenstall is facing a fight for its survival after police complained about 44 flashpoints at the hostelry in just 12 months, including brawls and under-age drinking.

Lancashire Constabulary has called for a licensing review of The Queen’s, in Bank Street, claiming that a catalogue of incidents has caused repeated prob-lems for police.

Police claim that 40 out of the 44 matters have happened after midnight and have included an offence of grievous bodily harm, three assaults, public order offences, criminal damage and thefts.

One fracas is said to have seen around 100 people causing mayhem in the car park of The Queen’s.

Landlord David Welford has said that he will fight the review and has blamed a lack of a regular police presence for trouble erupting at closing time.

The pub is currently allowed to serve until 3am but Mr Welford, who has been in charge at The Queen’s since December 2008, fears that if his hours are cut back then it could spell the end for the venue.

Mr Welford will be represented by solicitor John Corbett when the review is determined by a three-strong panel, made up of Couns Jimmy Eaton, Christine Pilling and Alan Neal, at Rawtenstall’s Hardman Mill on Friday.

PC Mark Driver, who has made the licensing review application, said: “It is the belief of the police that the poor management of the premises, lack of control by the door superv-isors and availability of alcohol until 3am at the weekend is leading to serious violence and is seriously undermining licensing objectives.”

PC Driver has complain-ed about the number of people who are allowed into the pub by door staff late at night, despite obviously being drunk and incapable.

He has called for The Queen’s licence to be cut back to midnight and asked for more approp-riate numbers of door staff to be deployed as the venue gets busier.

He was also concerned that, on one visit, door-men had no means of counting people in, or out, of the pub.

The three-strong comm-ittee can choose to take no action about the alleged problems at The Queen’s, impose conditions on the pub’s licence, or suspend operations there for a given period, depending on its findings.