A TROUBLED Southampton pub which has faced closure for weeks has been shut down following a spate of violence.

Last orders have been called for what could be the final time at the Shield and Dagger after licensing bosses shut it down.

The Shirley pub has seen a string of violent incidents in the past few months, including a mass brawl in which a bouncer suffered facial injuries.

Previously the Daily Echo reported that the Stratton Road pub has seen the police called out to it on more than 20 occasions since late 2014, including alleged "sexual entertainment".

Earlier in May the license was suspended while a review was undertaken but at the end of the month landlord Tony Cookson saw his licence revoked.

Mr Cookson has not responded to any attempts by the Daily Echo to contact him but his son, Paul, said that an appeal will be made.

In a meeting held behind closed doors last Thursday, licensing committee councillors were shown CCTV from inside the pub where a brawl was taking place.

This incident took place days after it was given a brief reprieve after councillors allowed it to remain open.

In a six-hour meeting, councillors heard from Hampshire police, Mr Cookson and his representative.

They also saw CCTV footage from inside the pub showing a punch-up in April, days after the pub was allowed to re-open.

Committee chairman, Southampton City Cllr Sue Blatchford said that she saw people inside the pub “exchanging punches and people falling to the floor having been punched”.

Cllr Blatchford couldn’t recall how many people were involved in the incident nor the date of it, but said that there were a dozen people in the pub at the time.

She said: “It was clear from the evidence presented that it was for public safety that this establishment did need to be closed, to have its licence revoked.”

She added: “It was the way the premises was being run and managed and how there was a particular incident that was a cause for concern for public safety.

“It was the issue of the timescale between the committee holding the interim review and making some suggestions there, and the licensee’s actions since that day and the fact that the incident we were dealing with happened within nine days of the previous hearing.”

In March it was revealed that officers from Hampshire police had been called on 20 separate occasions since December 2014 to deal with brawling and “sexual entertainment” at the pub.

As previously reported Mr Cookson denied wrongdoing and claimed police and complaining neighbours were acting on a "vendetta".

Paul said: “We're trying to make a living and they keep trying to squeeze us and squeeze us," he said. "We're not a trouble pub, we're not known as a trouble pub. We've had a few incidents but we sell alcohol, so that's always going to happen.

“They're just trying to shut all the pubs down.”

In March the licence was suspended after police said its management was linked to allegations of "serious criminal offences”.

The licensing committee heard that a mass brawl broke out on March 20 which involved a member of staff punching a customer leading to the emergency shutdown.

Mr Cookson’s solicitor, Jon Wallsgrove, previously said the man was “assaulted first” and only acted to defend the landlord. The press and members of the public were excluded from the meeting for over an hour while CCTV was played and discussed.

One month later the pub was allowed to reopen after the pub management agreed to strict conditions, including a new CCTV system, extra bouncers and more staff training.

Dozens of punters wrote to Southampton City Council to defend the pub, insisting it is safer than others in the area, while staff say the majority of complaints are being made by a rival pub.

Two weeks later another fight broke out leading to the licence being suspended.

No comment was available from Mr Cookson’s solicitors.