A pub has been forced to close for a month after a street brawl which left one man with a stab wound and another fighting for his life.

Police have called for Churchills in Chatham to have its licence removed following the incident early last Thursday.

A full review will take place in 28 days but until then the pub's doors must remain closed.

Emergency services were called at 2.20am on Thursday, September 22, to a report of a disturbance involving a number of people outside the pub on the corner of The Brook and Whiffen’s Avenue.

It is thought the pub had closed about 15 minutes earlier.

One man, aged 28, was stabbed in the leg and bleeding heavily. As exclusively reported by
the Medway Messenger, he was helped by a witness who tried to stem the blood with his belt.

The good samaritan, who did not want to be named, was told he had saved the young’s man life. The victim was admitted to Medway hospital but he has since been discharged.

A second man, aged 69, was also hurt and remains in a critical condition in a London hospital.

Just hours after the incident, police contacted Medway Council calling for an urgent review of the premises licence. Officers requested a suspension of the licence pending a full review hearing.

A meeting was held on Monday but the press and public were excluded.

The agenda stated: “In the opinion of Kent Police the premises are associated with serious crime, serious disorder, or both”.

Medway Council has agreed to suspend the licence for 28 days until a full hearing.

A spokesman said: "The panel has listened carefully to the evidence given and was of the view that the licensing objectives had not been met owing to a lack of licensed management and that suspension of the licence, pending a full review within 28 days, was the appropriate decision."

The pub has been closed since the stabbing. Staff posted on the pub’s Facebook page on Friday that they would not be open because they were “helping the police with their investigations” and a similar notice has been placed on the pub door.

Five people have been charged in connection with the incident. Four have already appeared in court and been remanded in custody until a crown court hearing. Another will appear before magistrates on October 11.