Staffordshire Police claim Hanley's Manhattan Bar caters for 'lowest elements' of society
POLICE fighting to close down a bar plagued by crime and disorder have claimed the venue is catering for the 'lowest elements' of society.
Manhattan Bar in Hanley faces being stripped of its licence following concerns over high levels of violence, theft and drunken behaviour.
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VENUE: Manhattan Bar in Hanley.
Police say 15 per cent of 230 recorded thefts at city centre bars took place at the nightspot.
Staffordshire Police has taken the bar's management to court after failing to persuade Stoke-on-Trent City Council to permanently shut the venue in May.
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Manhattan has since promised to close at 3am – an hour-and-a-half earlier – as part of an action plan to try to curb the problems.
But police claim problems have continued at the Trinity Street venue.
Now officers have appealed to Stafford Magistrates Court in a fresh attempt to try to revoke the bar's licence.
Andrew Leishmann, a former general manager who left Manhattan in May, yesterday detailed some of the measures the bar had taken, including closing at 3am, stopping all drinks promotions after midnight, and ensuring five members of door staff are on duty at the busiest times.
But solicitor Trevor Meegan, representing the police, said plain clothes police officers have since found the bar to be serving £2 bottles of Carlsberg after midnight, alongside discount 'fishbowl' cocktails, containing two shots mixed with an alcopop.
Officers also discovered only three door staff to be working at the time.
Mr Meegan said: "Don't you think £2 for a bottle in 2012 is very cheap?"
The solicitor claimed the bar's clientele included customers wearing trainers, baseball caps and track suits, which is against the bar's dress code.
Mr Meegan said: "You're attracting the lowest elements aren't you? The sort of people who steal mobile phones go to Manhattan.
"Your bar, the Manhattan bar, has a reputation for allowing the sort of people in who would not get into other premises in Hanley."
Juan Lopez, representing Pad Bar Ltd which owns the Manhattan Bar, said this type of customer was 'a fiction'.
He also pointed to 'glaring inconsistencies' in police evidence which has included incidents occurring outside neighbouring bars and takeaways.
The solicitor said late night bars free of antisocial behaviour and thefts exist only in a "Utopian paradise".
He added: "We don't imagine for a moment that even in the classiest venues that thefts don't happen or people can become rowdy."
The case continues.
Comments
by warren-lloyd
Sunday, September 16 2012, 10:21PM
“Let's put it this way Ian, if people post rubbish like that, they will be challenged. I never said a new bus station or anything like that will improve drunkenness within the city center, law enforced in the right way and better drinking hours will. We need to improve the view others have of the city, trip posted by Mirhayflyer would not help without it being challenged, and drunks poreing out of nightclubs at 4am won't help much. I would like to see nightclubs improve there way to deal with problems, it don't bother me personally, its been many years since I felt the need to go to one, but I do worry about the picture that violent crimes being reported in the city at god knows what hour. I'm not convinced that Hanleys nightlife brings in visters to the city very much, some shows may bring in a theater crowd from the wider area, but they are not interested in nightclubs, so the nightlife brings very little to the city. I say close close the places such as this at 2am, other bars and pubs at midnight and stop off sales at 10.30pm city wide.”
by I_Norris
Sunday, September 16 2012, 9:49PM
“Warren: you clearly never read meirhayflyer posts, he was simply showing what others outside of Stoke think of the area. It was NOT his words (sighs)
How does Anon know whats happening in Civic, may they read the internets and the councils "forward plan" "agendas" "meetings" recommendations, minutes all there to browse. You should have a go you may learn something.
Now I know you big fan of new Bus station but claiming it will solve drunken behaviour is amazing. please tell how?”
by warren-lloyd
Sunday, September 16 2012, 5:18PM
“Meirha***iot, read your post, much more offensive then anything I have said, if you do not like the city, move away, I work and earn money hear, I was born and bread hear, I love my city and more then once I have had the chance to move away, witch I have not taken as my roots are hear. Its no good telling you that, it seems that you put money first before anything that should be important to you, and I pity you for that.
Never mind, moving swiftly on.
Anon, I look at it like this, the council as it is now, as only been there since May last year, you might not know this as you seem to live outside the area that the city council cover, but still day after day post negative rubbish about it. How on earth do you know that thinks are not being done in the Civic Centre, and given the amount of trip many on hear spout out about anything, its ever likely the city council play there cards a little close in.”
by Anon_mow_cop
Sunday, September 16 2012, 4:37PM
“@warren_lloyd
And how much rate-payers money is used to keep those 2 theatres open ???. you re-generate a city centre, by first getting the local economy going. When Swindon lost Rail Engineering, they got off their backsides and went out and got companies like Honda, Motorola and Hewlett-Packard to invest in Swindon, not live on the faded past glories of the pottery industry. This council came up with that "Titanic" called World-Gate, god only knows how much money was lost on that. I counted 14 drunks on the benches in Hanley across from the library in the middle of the afternoon last time I was in Hanley, so much for re-generating it.”
by camband
Sunday, September 16 2012, 10:41AM
“A cursory glance at this thread reveals no one suggesting a 'Manhattan transfer'?”
by stokemaveric
Saturday, September 15 2012, 6:35PM
“meirhayflyer...''stokemaveric i dont hate stoke right''...well you ought to read your post..id say that you do hate stoke so i have 1 word for you...GOODBYE...”
by meirhayflyer
Saturday, September 15 2012, 1:55PM
“warren-lloyd - keep going boy your so proving my case for me,
cant hold a rational arguement or debate has to make him self look big by putting someone down.
GROW UP BOY”
by doubty
Saturday, September 15 2012, 1:46PM
“rational people realise that most problems don't have a geographical solution.
most areas now have all the problems metioned here.
stoke is no better or worse.
and did you not notice how hypocritical it is to mention ****ging off and then partake yourself?”
by warren-lloyd
Saturday, September 15 2012, 11:48AM
“Meirha***iot, who was the one starting to post the rubbish, . You know what, changed my mind, the coppers can bust it wide open every Friday night, Meirha***iot don't like it so it can stay. What you are saying is wrong and why should I stand by and let you say it, you know where the M6 is, I say you use it.”
by meirhayflyer
Saturday, September 15 2012, 11:24AM
“warren-lloyd - all i can say is you are a total fool. You alone prove why no one wants to invest here. Small narrow minded person who has to resort to personal abuse to make your self feel good.
it seems a reasoned debate is beyond you tiny biggoted mind that cannot appreicated anyone else point of view.
I find your personal attack highy offensive and your are little better that the people you try and deride”