A LANDLORD says he has been banned from his own pub - even though he lives in the flat upstairs.

John Ellis, manager of the Dolphin Hotel in Bournemouth, faces disciplinary action after closing it when a brawl broke out.

Mr Ellis, who was not on the premises at the time, took the decision to lock up the Holdenhurst Road pub after frightened bar staff called him to say there was a "riot" going on.

But brewery Greene King, which owns the Dolphin, says he should have informed his area manager before closing the doors, and has suspended Mr Ellis pending an internal inquiry.

Bar staff at the Dolphin called in the police at just after 7pm on Saturday when violence broke out among a group of around 15 men aged 25-35.

Dorset Police said one victim of the brawl, a 34-year-old Bournemouth man, had to be taken to Poole Hospital with an eye injury after being head-butted during the fracas. He is still in hospital and is likely to be transferred to Southampton for further treatment.

Mr Ellis, who took over as Dolphin manager in June, said: "It was my night off on Saturday and I had been out having a drink to celebrate my 50th birthday.

"I got a call from the assistant manager saying there was a riot going on, five police cars were outside the pub and people had been injured.

"I just told her to shut the bar and get everybody out."

When he arrived at the pub around 20 minutes later, Mr Ellis said he found staff throwing out the last of the customers and starting to clear up broken glass that had been smashed all over the floor.

He maintains he shut the pub down due to health and safety reasons.

But Greene King said the landlord had not been on site at the time of the incident and should have followed proper procedures before taking that decision. The brewery confirmed that he had been suspended from his post.

Mr Ellis says he is also barred from entering the pub area, despite living in the flat upstairs with his wife, Nuanchun and three-year-old son, Harrin, who suffers from cerebral palsy.

"All the locks and security codes have already been changed," said Mr Ellis.

"I can't go into the pub and have to carry my son in and out of the flat along the fire escape.

"It's causing us a great deal of stress."

A Dorset Police spokesman said they were waiting to take a statement from the victim of the brawl.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to ring 01202 222222 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

First published: November 25