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Kings Head landlord Ismail Sucu says more must be done to tackle trouble in Gravesend

A landlord says more must be done to tackle trouble in Gravesend town centre after two brothers became violent and hurled foul racist abuse in his pub.

Ismail Sucu saw his Kings Head sports bar descend into chaos on June 24, 2014, when Shaun and Lee Fennings, 49 and 44, arrived drunk and become embroiled in a fight.

Mr Sucu tried to break up the scrap and asked the pair to leave, but was racially abused by both men, with the older brother saying “others like him should go back to their own country”. The younger brother also punched him.

Ismail Sucu, landlord at the Kings Head in Gravesend
Ismail Sucu, landlord at the Kings Head in Gravesend

Recalling the incident, Mr Sucu said: “It was two years ago, and I was waiting for the court case but it kept getting delayed.

“It was on a Saturday, I will never forget that. They actually started in Chalk and from there went to The Robert Pocock [in nearby Windmill Street] and they caused trouble there.

“They kicked them out and then they came here.

“What happened from there... I hope they and other people won’t do these kinds of things again, but this is a common problem at the moment.”

Shaun Fennings
Shaun Fennings

During sentencing at Maidstone Crown Court last week it was heard how three women celebrating a 21st birthday were caught up in the incident.

One of the women, Charlie Sutton, was hit by a shoe thrown by Shaun Fennings, who also punched Natasha Parr.

His brother cut his hand when he punched a window, and then wiped the blood on Ms Sutton’s top.

Both brothers were given suspended jail sentences, and Mr Sucu, who has run the Kings Head since 2011, was content with their punishment but wants to see more done to prevent such incidents from happening again.

Kings Head Sports Bar in King Street, Gravesend
Kings Head Sports Bar in King Street, Gravesend

“We did not take it further because I just wanted it to be finished – one of the men lost their job and after two years it was enough punishment,” he said.

“Now we have to work together to make this a good town. The council, the police, local shops — if everyone comes together then the town will be better.”

Mr Sucu urged other landlords and business owners to make use of the G-Safe system to help curb trouble in Gravesend.

Introduced in 2013, G-Safe is a business crime reduction partnership, in which traders, Gravesham council and Kent Police work together to combat crime and disorder within the borough.

"The council, the police, local shops — if everyone comes together then the town will be better” Ismail Sucu

Members are able to contact one another via radio to warn of trouble as it develops, and Mr Sucu wants more people to take advantage of it.

“As soon as you call me and give a description of the person, I will go to the door and not let them in,” he said.

“I will say, ‘sorry guys, but you are not coming in’. If a person comes in to your bar drunk, do not serve them and use the radio.”

G-Safe has 77 members and there are three radio networks covering the town centre, Northfleet and Denton, providing radio coverage for the whole borough.

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