A Southampton pub at the centre of more than 60 incidents of trouble including punch ups and a baseball bat fight has been allowed to stay open.

Residents living near the Griffin Inn described the watering hole as a “complete nightmare” and said that customers would urinate and vomit outside their houses.

Southampton City Council's licensing committee had voted to close the Shirley tavern after police produced a catalogue of incidents including fights and disturbance to residents.

Following the decision in August 2014 landlord Colin Cheevers vowed to take on the council and appeal the decision.

The case was due for a hearing at Southampton Magistrates' Court but at the last minute a deal was brokered to keep the pub open.

Mr Cheevers, landlord of the Shirley, hailed a “massive victory” as a deal was struck to keep the pub in business.

Speaking to the Daily Echo after the hearing Mr Cheevers said: “It's a massive victory for us. We were going to fight them all the way but they have agreed a list of terms.

“It's been an absolutely massive imposition on us and it's been very expensive and part of the agreement is for us to not go for costs.

“We were quite happy with the conditions because we have been trading to them since April anyway.”

Hampshire Constabulary had initially called for the licence review after highlighting 62 incidents since Mr Cheevers took over the pub in 2010.

These included a reported fight with baseball bats, as well as punch-ups inside and outside the premises.

Nearby residents addressed a hearing and told the licensing committee that drinkers would sometimes remain in the street and make noise until 5am.

A compromise was reached and the pub must operate on a total of 36 conditions, although many of these are standard for licensed premises.

The new conditions on the Anglesea Road pub include having a doorman in place on Friday nights, closing half an hour earlier on a Saturday night, not allowing alcohol outside after 9.30pm, and closing the beer garden at 10pm.

A Hampshire Constabulary spokeswoman said: “It should make residents' lives easier and that's what our main focus has been on.”

Southampton City Council was not available for comment.