A SOUTHAMPTON pub has become the first in the city to be shut down after police used tough new laws to curb drink-related crime.

Officers placed a temporary closure order on the Merry Oak pub after they were called out to deal with a brawl that broke out inside the premises.

The violence resulted in a man suffering injuries that left him with part of his ear missing.

Police officers who arrived at the scene arrested one man outside the pub on a public order offence.

Following the fight a senior officer on duty issued an immediate temporary closure order on the pub.

The case was then heard before Southampton magistrates who agreed to extend the order after hearing of the violence, which flared late on Saturday.

They agreed that the incident was in breech of key aims of the licensing including crime and disorder and public safety.

It is the first time police have used powers under the new licensing act to order the closure of a pub.

Licensing Sergeant at Southampton, Stewart Chandler said: "This is the first time we have used these powers under the new licensing act and shows that the police are committed to stopping alcohol-related violence."

A meeting will now be heard before the city council's licensing panel to decide the pub's future.

It is within their power to revoke the licence of the pub completely or they could decide instead to impose tough restrictions on the venue including curbing opening times.

The pub is owned by the pub chain Punch Taverns, which currently has a premises supervisor in post to manage the Merry Oak.

The company declined to comment about the problems at the Spring Road pub in the Merry Oak area of Sholing, but a spokesman said: "The pub will remain closed pending the results of a forthcoming licence hearing."

The brawl is the latest in a string of problems at the pub that was also the scene of a large fight in July when the venue was being reopened after a spell without a manager.

As reported in the Daily Echo at the time, trouble flared after a drinker was barred but returned minutes later with a group of other people, sparking a fracas.