A pub has avoided a forced change of management after a woman’s ear was allegedly bitten in a violent assault.
Police said it happened at the Hope Inn, on York Road, on 31 May this year and raised concerns over the running of the premises.
It was alleged that people who witnessed the incident at around 11pm in the pub’s decked beer garden were discouraged from reporting it.
A licensing hearing was also told CCTV was wiped and it was not recorded in an incident book.
PC Neil Haywood said: “The victim sustained cuts and bruises and had to attend hospital for treatment.”
Councillors were told the video footage should have been kept for 31 days but was erased by a company carrying out a CCTV upgrade.
PC Haywood said: “What we would say is that CCTV should not be wiped.”
Police applied to Leeds City Council for a review of the licence and asked for the designated premises supervisor (DPS), Rebecca Sidsaph, to be removed.
But 23 letters of support for the pub were received ahead of the licensing sub-committee hearing on Tuesday.
Malcolm Ireland, representing the licence holder Trust Inns, said Miss Sidsaph and David Seed, who runs the pub as a tenant, had good track records.
He said: “We have had the premises for a little over a year and in that time it has become a very popular pub for the local community.
“It is a focal point for the locals. It has live music. It has charity fundraisers.”
Mr Ireland said the alleged assault was the only significant incident in 15 months at the pub.
Trust Inns was against the DPS removal but would support additional licence conditions including staff training, a “check 25” policy and better incident recording.
Mr Ireland said: “There isn’t the evidence in front of the committee to justify the removal of the DPS that the police are asking for.”
Councillors unanimously voted to add the extra conditions, but said the DPS could remain in place with the correct management and training.
