A bar has been stripped of its licence following a string of violations dubbed the worst seen in 11 years.

Police called for the review at Limes - the only gay bar in Canterbury - after being called to break up fights, probe a sexual assault and even tackle a sword-wielding gang.

Officers - who also say they found evidence of drug-taking behind the bar - urged the city council to examine the venue's operating conditions.

Neighbours had also raised concerns about "intolerable" noise levels and a series of violent and threatening incidents at the Rosemary Lane bar.

At a licensing hearing this week, councillors revoked owner El Group's ability to run the nightspot. It remains closed until a new operator can be found.

Ahead of the meeting, property landlord Sarah Whittall, who rents out a house nearby, said: “The problem has been going on for many years.

“After lockdown, during which things had been quiet, [my tenants found] noise levels were sometimes hardly tolerable and events outside often sounded violent and threatening.

“They decided that this was no place to raise a child, and moved out.

“At one point they contacted us to say there seemed to have been an attempt to break down the front door the night before.

“We have not rented out the house since they left last Christmas."

During the meeting, chairman Cllr Ashley Clark (Con) described the bar's licensing violations as “the worst I’ve come across in the past 11 years on committee".

Police logs showed officers had been called to numerous fights, reports of drug-dealing in the pub and anti-social behaviour disturbing neighbours.

They said the doors were manned by unlicensed security staff who failed to disperse customers properly after closing time, causing a disruption to residents.

In drug swab tests, officers found traces of cocaine and heroin in various places around the business - allegations then-licence holder Michael Lee, who ran the business with Tony Butcher, previously described as “absolute rubbish”.

He said: "They did drug swabs and said there was evidence of drug use in our area – but we have a zero-tolerance policy towards it.

“The only way I could explain it is we handle money and it would touch people, I don’t know.

“Why would we do drugs behind the bar? It just doesn’t make sense.”

The bar is owned by EI Group Ltd - which itself is run by Stonegate Pub Group, the largest tavern company in the UK with more than 4,000 premises.

The company leased the site to Mr Lee, who was the licence holder and had full operational responsibility for the bar.

But since police called for the city council to review the venue's operating conditions, EI Group stepped in - ending Mr Lee’s tenancy and lease and taking over the licence.

In a statement given to the committee, solicitors from Gosschalks, on behalf of EI Group, said Mr Lee “has vacated the premises and will have nothing to do with it moving forward”.

Limes has remained shut since he was removed from his position at the end of September.

Richard Taylor, who works for Gosschalks, told members: “What was very clear from the papers was that the review was brought by the poor management.

“If we are made aware of significant problems we will deal with them.

“Until recently, we were not aware.”

Mr Taylor urged the committee to allow EI Group to continue as the venue's licence holder.

Under the proposal, the company would have held position for a year after the premises reopened.

This would have given it direct responsibility for Limes' licensed activities, even if someone else was operating it.

However, the committee was not convinced that culpability for the problems at the bar ended with Mr Lee.

In their decision statement, members said EI Group should have acted with greater haste to put an end to the issues.

“The sub-committee was concerned residents have suffered for a long time from the poor management of these premises,” they explained.

“It is a well-resourced company; it should have paid more attention to how the premises were operated.”

Mr Taylor insisted EI Group could turn things around.

He stressed officials from the firm would liaise with police, who made the request for revocation, about any future operator of the premises.

In light of this, and the fact Mr Lee had been removed from his role, PC Jim Gall told councillors the force was no longer requesting a revocation of the licence.

Nonetheless, the committee decided to strip EI Group of its licence for the venue.

The company will have to find another operator and leaseholder for the bar, at which point the new operator can apply for another licence.

The future use of the building is unknown, and will be up to the future leaseholder.