A pub in Weston-super-Mare has had its licence suspended until the outcome of a full licensing review hearing, planned for next month.

Avon and Somerset Police asked North Somerset Council (the licensing authority for the area) to carry out an expedited review of the premises licence at Hotshotz, in Meadow Street, Weston-super-Mare.

In their written application to the council, the police outlined that they had carried out a covert operation on Hotshotz between March and September this year, which culminated in the execution of a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act on November 16. 

The review application also said there had been multiple drug sales (including to undercover officers), suspected class a and b drugs had been found and seized from the vicinity of the public bar and the private accommodation (upstairs from the public area of the licensed premises) of Kashmira Johal, the 'premises licence holder' and 'designated premises supervisor'. 

The application also said that extensive traces of drugs had been found in Mr Johal's accommodation and that there had been several serious assaults in and around the premises.

A meeting of North Somerset Council's licensing sub-committee was held in the town hall in Weston this morning. Before any information was given by the police, their solicitor Okchukwu Adieze made an application to the committee that because of ongoing police investigations that the press and public should be excluded from the hearing. The committee agreed to this request.

Having heard from the police and Mr Johal the committee retired and when they returned they had reached a unanimous decision that the licence for the premises would be suspended until a full review hearing could be scheduled early next month. This means the premises will be shut until the outcome of that hearing.

Superintendent Julian Moss from Avon and Somerset Police said: "We have listened to the concerns of local people, and taken action which has culminated in the decision taken today.

"I hope this demonstrates our commitment to take local people's concerns very seriously, and that we always aim to take appropriate action to respond to those concerns as part of our ongoing campaign to make Weston-super-Mare an even safer place.

"We will await the outcome of the full licensing review hearing with interest."