A NOTORIOUS bar at the centre of violence and underage drinking has been closed after the managers were charged with criminal offences.

Cheers bar and Bella Roma premises licence holder Gino DiFilippo has stepped down after the latest brush with police, and the Lancashire Telegraph believes co-manager Fajul Patel cannot run the establishment on his own.

It means the King William Street nightspot will be closed until further notice.

The decision comes after Patel, 27, of Granville Road, Blackburn, and DiFilippo, 33, of Faroes Close, Blackburn, were arrested on Friday night.

They have been charged with the theft of a £3,000 fruit machine from the bar and carrying on ‘unauthorised licensable activity’ by allegedly not having appropriate CCTV with 14 days recording in place.

Both were bailed until next month.

Mr DiFilippo’s decision to step down as designated premises supervisor means Mr Patel - or any other candidate - would need to make a new application.

They would have to be vetted by police who can object if they deem them not to be a fit and proper person.

Cheers bar was at the centre of a long-running police investigation into violence, under-age drinking and drug use and had its licence revoked in November.

But a subsequent appeal - which will be heard by Blackburn magistrates in February - allowed it to stay open.

Last weekend, 18-year-old apprentice bricklayer Connor Rowe, from Roe Lee, Blackburn, had his jaw smashed in an unprovoked attack inside Cheers bar, with his mum Kelly demanding immediate action to close it down.

Police are continuing to investigate that incident.

Yesterday Cheers and Bella Roma was closed.

Sgt Dave Clarke said: “On Friday evening we arrested both owners of Cheers Bar following an investigation into a theft of a gaming machine at the premises.

"Their arrest resulted in the closure of the bar on Friday and Saturday and it will now remain closed until a new Designated Premises Supervisor comes forward.

"The Police will vet any such person and can and will object to any person we deem not to be fit and proper.”