The Licensing Sub-Committee of Havering Council met on Tuesday 17 March 2026 to consider an expedited review of the premises licence for The Chequers pub. Following a report of violent disorder and further licensing failures, the committee decided that the premises licence for The Chequers would be suspended with immediate effect pending a full review.

The Chequers Pub Licence Suspended

The Licensing Sub-Committee convened an expedited review of the premises licence for The Chequers, located at 121 North Street, Hornchurch, RM11 1ST. This review was initiated by the Chief Officer of Police for Havering Borough under Section 53A of the Licensing Act 2003, following an incident of violent disorder at the premises in the early hours of Wednesday, 11 March 2026.

The police reported that the disorder involved approximately ten people from two groups, with punches and kicks exchanged, leading to furniture being overturned. The violence escalated after a short break, with one individual throwing a chair and further physical altercations occurring, including one person being kicked while on the floor. One patron sustained a head injury, requiring first aid from venue staff. Crucially, no SIA door staff were present, as required by the licence, and bar staff later declined to provide statements to the police.

Further concerns were raised regarding the management of the premises. The venue did not contact the police for assistance during the incident, and no entry was made in their incident logbook. CCTV footage and till records suggested that The Chequers had been habitually operating outside its licensed hours and supplying alcohol after hours.

PC Chris Stockman presented the police's case, highlighting that the level of violence was significantly serious compared to typical pub incidents. He stated that the combination of serious violence and breaches of licensing conditions, such as operating outside permitted hours and failing to log incidents, led the police to seek the suspension of the licence as an interim step. Superintendent Sharon Brind provided a certificate confirming that the incident met the criteria for serious crime under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

The Licensing Sub-Committee, chaired by Councillor Philippa Crowder, with Councillor Jane Keane and Councillor Christine Smith also in attendance, considered the evidence. They were satisfied that interim steps were necessary to prevent further serious crime and disorder. After reviewing the available options – modification of licence conditions, exclusion of alcohol sales, removal of the Designated Premises Supervisor, and suspension of the licence) – the committee determined that suspension was the only appropriate measure.

The Sub-Committee noted that modifying conditions or excluding alcohol sales would not adequately address the risks, and removing the Designated Premises Supervisor was unlikely to prevent further issues. They concluded that the suspension of the licence was not a disproportionate interim step and was the most appropriate immediate measure to prevent further serious crime and disorder at the premises.

Therefore, the Licensing Sub-Committee decided that the premises licence for The Chequers would be suspended with immediate effect pending the full review hearing, which must be held within 28 days. The meeting was held in private session due to the ongoing police investigation and the potential for prejudice to a fair trial.