Walsall Wood social club loses licence after police raid lock-in party

Police officers used an angle grinder to gain entry to Walsall Wood FC after a lock-in in December

A social club venue involved in a stand-off with police during an illegal lockdown party has lost its licence.

Police used an angle grinder to gain access to Walsall Wood FC and Social Club following reports of an illegal gathering on 6 December.

Officers told a licensing committee there was "an arrogance" of the 19 people inside, who abused police.

Walsall Council revoked the social club's licence on Tuesday, saying several Covid rules were breached.

"The management of these premises committed several Covid breaches and there was a total failure in their dereliction of duty," committee chairman Suky Samra said.

Police found 19 revellers inside the club who were "chanting and singing" and swore at officers

On 6 December, West Midlands Police officers said they were sworn at when they arrived at the club where people were seen "chanting inside, they were singing, music was being turned up and down," the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

"There was almost an arrogance of the people inside that they were untouchable," PC Ben Reader said. "They were barricaded in a bunker, for want of a better term."

The club chairman, Justin Hodgin, was spoken to at his home but told officers he could not locate keys to the club, meaning they resorted to using an angle grinder to get in.

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The committee heard that CCTV of the incident - as well as other suspected breaches in April and October - had also gone missing.

Mr Hodgin accepted "more could have been done" by the club on the night in question and argued that "the actions of a few" should not cause the club to lose its licence, however the committee disagreed.

"We will not tolerate repeated Covid breaches that are putting people in danger and a total disregard for public safety as in this case and in the middle of a pandemic," Mr Samra said.