Earls Court ping pong bar The Game shut down after hipsters attack bouncer who told them to end their game

Popular venue: A brawl broke out after customers refused to end their game of ping-pong. The players pictured had nothing to do with the violence
Matt Watts30 October 2015

A hipster bar has been shut down after bouncers were attacked by customers who refused to end a late-night game of ping-pong.

One security worker was said to have suffered a slashed ear, five missing teeth, a black eye and a fractured toe following the brawl at the retro games bar in Earl’s Court.

Another bouncer dived behind the bar to escape a barrage of flying chairs, bottles and glasses. He fled through a fire escape after the till was ripped out and hurled at him, according to police reports.

Officers were called to The Game in Earl’s Court Road at 1.15am on a Saturday earlier this month when a fight started in the street outside. The suspects scattered but trouble then flared inside the venue after doormen told remaining customers to leave.

Kensington and Chelsea council suspended the club’s licence on October 5. It was ruling on whether to make the closure permanent at a meeting today — but the bar’s owners say they have already closed permanently.

Stevie Thomas, 29, said: “We are absolutely gutted that we have had to close through no fault of our own. It was a family business and we have had around 30 staff who have now lost their jobs. It is so disappointing, we did make submissions to the council but there had also been complaints from some neighbours who wanted us out and this incident was the last straw.”

He said the business had closed down permanently after the council’s decision to suspend its licence because it would not be viable. He is looking at other bar projects.

In a letter seeking a suspension of the licence Pc Ian Davis said police had “serious cause for concern” over the club’s management.

He wrote of the October 3 incident: “Door staff said there had been numerous assaults ... The premises were closing and there was a remaining group that were playing table tennis inside. As door staff were directing patrons to leave, this group became resistant. For no apparent reason a fight ensued involving about five to seven males and door staff. Chairs and bottles were thrown and one member of door staff sustained grievous bodily harm.”

The Game featured giant Jenga, arcade machines and retro board games alongside a pizza restaurant and bar serving six-pint “beer towers” for £55.

According to council documents, the bar has been linked to a series of incidents in the past few months, including a woman who claimed her drink had been spiked and a doorman allegedly being seen kicking an ejected customer into the road.

In recent months, officers say staff “lost control” of security leaving neighbours “fearing to pass by in case they were assaulted”.

A message posted on the bar’s Facebook page reads: “We regret to inform you that due to a licensing suspension The Game in Earl’s Court is closed indefinitely. We thank you for all the good times and hope to see you soon in a new location.”

Two people have been arrested over the brawl on October 3.

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