A DECISION will be taken next week on whether to re-open a troubled pub.

The future of the Lord Raglan, in Water Street, Radcliffe, will be decided by Bury Council’s licensing hearing panel next Thursday, with the pub's new management eager to restore a family-friendly atmosphere.

The pub was shut down in May this year after a large-scale fight which left two men with stab wounds.

Greater Manchester Police has requested that the panel refuse the new license application, as the disturbance in May was the latest in a history of violent episodes.

However, should a new license be granted, police have requested that a lengthy list of requirements be imposed, while environmental health officers have dropped their concerns after the new owners agreed to meet a number of noise-related conditions.

Police have asked that the pub operates until 11.30pm rather than the proposed 12.30am, and that two door staff be employed on Friday and Saturday nights.

The pub’s new owner, Liam Howarth, said he was more than happy to agree to the police’s terms if the new license is approved.

He said: “I agree with the conditions the police have requested. An 11.30pm closing time would be fine with us, as we have already brought the closing time forward from what it used to be.

“The need for two doormen on a weekend also seems sensible given the history of the pub. We want people to feel safe when they come here.

“We’re hopeful that things will go our way at the hearing and we will be able to get the pub up and running. There are enough pubs in the area that are empty or closed down as it is.

He added: “We have been proactive in getting out there and meeting local residents, so hopefully we have done enough to reassure them that we only have the best interests of the area at heart.”

Representations from local residents have been submitted to the council, relating to drugs, damage to property, anti-social behaviour, noise, and traffic.

Police have also requested that new CCTV cameras be installed and that footage be made available for inspection upon request.

During the incident in May, police were initially refused entry to the premises and then found attempts had been made to clean up the scene.