The licensing committee of Blackpool Council has permanently revoked the licence of Notorious Bar on Queen Street following a serious assault and multiple breaches of safety conditions.
The decision, made at a hearing on 11 May 2026, followed a request from Lancashire Police after an incident in the early hours of 18 April 2026. At approximately 4:15am, officers were called to the venue where a man in his 30’s sustained stab wounds and required hospital treatment. A 23-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.
During their investigation, police discovered the bar was operating well past its permitted closing time. Officers also found that staff were serving drinks in glass bottles and containers, which violated the venue’s licensing agreement. Additionally, police noted that the bar had failed to cooperate with requests to provide security camera footage after a group from Manchester previously visited the premises to demand money for a drug debt.
Superintendent Dave Hannan stated that if the venue had cooperated initially, police might have been able to prevent this serious crime from occurring. The closure of the bar, which had been operating under new ownership since January 2026, is part of the NightSafe initiative. This countywide partnership programme aims to ensure safety in the nighttime economy through high-visibility patrols, strict monitoring of licensed premises, and other safety schemes.
Licensing Sergeant Nat Cox said: “This action serves as a clear warning to other businesses that firm consequences will follow when venues fail to meet safety standards and pose a risk to the community.”
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
