FUSION Sports Bar and Grill in Warrington town centre has been closed over concerns of violence and disorder including attacks by door staff and the licence holder on customers.

The bar was initially closed in the early hours of Thursday last week after CCTV showed a man covered in blood leaving the premises.

Warrington Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday that man was James Birchall, who had been involved in a 'melee' inside Fusion, with four men arrested.

He claimed to Cheshire Police to be a manager at the bar, but his employment was denied by management who appeared in court this week.

However, employees at Fusion did not call police, and the incident was only noticed by a CCTV operator.

PC Neil Dukes, giving evidence, said there had been a spate of violence at Fusion since September, when it was taken over by licensee Steven Hewitt.

Bouncers attacked people on three occasions, the court heard, although Mr Hewitt claimed he was not aware of their behaviour.

PC Dukes said Mr Hewitt was also accused of an assault, allegedly breaking a man's ankle on October 16, although no complaint was made.

On October 24, and October 25, two drunk men were left with facial cuts in separate incidents, reportedly inflicted by door men.

And on October 29, Warrington Borough Council CCTV showed an assault by a Fusion bouncer in the street outside the bar.

A street brawl involving Fusion staff then erupted on October 31, with four men arrested.

The court heard two door staff, said to be off-duty, and Mr Birchall, attacked two bouncers at DV8, another bar on Bridge Street.

PC Dukes, a licence enforcement officer in Warrington, said: "They approached another bar and one of the door staff tried to punch one of the DV8 door staff.

"The DV8 door staff tried to defend themselves and there was large scale disorder."

A DV8 bouncer suffered a broken jaw but did not make a complaint.

"Police have been to Fusion a number of times due to incidents," added PC Dukes.

"We are applying for a closure order due to violence and disorder, and in order to protect the public."

Fusion, owned by freeholder David Critchley, was due to have its licence reviewed by the council for alleged breaches, before the closure notice was served.

Staff had failed to provide police with CCTV in relation to several incidents, the court heard.

On one occasion a 'faulty' hard drive was blamed, while on another Gill Worley, also part of Fusion management, was unable to operate the in-house system due to 'human error'.

The court heard improved CCTV had recently been installed, and staff were given training on how to use it.

Anthony Horne, defending Mr Hewitt, said the use of the closure order was 'close to an abuse of power' by police, while Paul Douglas, a licensing consultant, said a more stringent review could have taken place beforehand.

District Judge Bridget Knight approved the closure order, meaning Fusion will remain closed for three months.

It is the first time a bar in Cheshire has been closed under new anti-social behaviour legislation passed in October.

The licence review by the council will take place on December 22.