Pub closed down after glassing, ear-biting and 20-man brawls

Councillors ordered that the Eastwood Hotel, East Dene, will have to stay shut for at least three months and owners GRS Pub Investments Ltd will have to meet certain conditions before it can re-open.

These include complete refurbishment of the "semi-derelict" premises and the employment of doormen.

The decision was taken by Members of Rotherham Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee who heard that the Doncaster Road pub was a "powderkeg" of trouble.

Police had requested the permanent closure of the pub at an emergency review of its licence last month.

Licensing officer Pc Dave Thompson told the panel this week that over the last year, there had been a number of large fights involving up to 20 people at a time.

The pub was finally closed six days after a man was glassed and blinded in one eye while in aFebruary, a man's ear had been bitten off.

Mr Jonathan Smith, speaking for the GRS, said that the day-to-day running of the pub was the concern of landlady Linda Parker, who had now been sacked.

GRS was determined to get the pub back on track.

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