Bar where man was killed temporarily shut down by council

A karaoke bar in Ashton has been shut down temporarily after a man was killed at the venue over the weekend.

PC Craig Foley, told the panel: “There is a concern over the management of the premises and their capability to run a safe venue for members of the public to visit. Greater Manchester Police request that the licensing authority consider the suspension of the premises licence until the full review is heard before the committee.”

Bar owners Christopher Thompson and Colin Campbell were present at the hearing. They told the meeting how they had voluntarily closed their venue following the death and agreed with the police’s judgement that a temporary suspension should be imposed.

Mr Campbell said: “We and the staff are devastated by the death of Shane Cullen and our thoughts are with his family. 

“We understand the police have requested to suspend the licence. We are not opposing that.

“We are already reviewing how we operated on that night so we can see how things could or should have been done differently.”

Mr Campbell went on to offer the bar’s ‘sincere condolences’ to Mr Cullen’s loved ones. PC Craig Foley commended the pair’s ‘respectful’ decision to comply with the suspension and voluntarily close down for the foreseeable.

The licensing panel, chaired by Coun Greg McNally, made the decision to temporarily suspend the licence of Blues Cabaret and Karaoke Bar until a full licence review takes place. 

The next hearing will take place within 28 days following investigations from police and licensing authorities.