A PUB in North Harrow has been forced to shut down after a decision was taken to suspend its license after a string of assaults.

An emergency council licensing meeting was held last Friday to assess the situation at JD’s Lounge, in Pinner Road, and a decision was made by Harrow Council to close the venue until a full hearing on March 31.

A report by Harrow Police on the venue said that the assaults, recorded since November 2009, included a fight where a person was hit over the head with a stool and on one occasion when a doorman lost a tooth after being elbowed in the mouth trying to break up a fight.

In June last year, Harrow Council caught CCTV footage of a fight where a man with a knife is knocked to the floor and kicked and punched repeatedly.

On March 5, police were called to the venue at around 1am after reports of fighting outside the pub.

As police were leaving the scene they received a call from a member of the public who said he had been hit over the head with a bottle and was at a nearby kebab shop.

Police found the man in the kebab shop with a gash near his eye and three smaller cuts on his forehead and around the nose and another person with a laceration to his left thumb.

A third person was lying on two chairs having been kicked in both kneecaps causing them to lock. A fourth victim was standing in the shop doorway holding a tissue on the side of his head, which concealed a cut.

All four had been drinking at the pub when a fight broke out and on attempting to leave were attacked by up to 15 to 20 other customers.

All four were taken to Northwick Park Hospital for their injuries to be treated.

The report concluded: "A standard review would also be inappropriate as it does not allow for the immediate suspension of the premises licence by means of the 'interim steps'.

"These steps are required to ensure that the likelihood of any further serious crime or disorder is greatly reduced pending the full review."

The managers of JD's Lounge were unavailable for comment but the licence holder has said they will appeal the suspension of the licence. A date has not been confirmed for the appeal but will take place sometime next week.