A popular pub – allegedly frequented by gang members – has had its licence suspended for up to three months after a man was stabbed inside while watching a football game.

Maddigan’s in Mare Street, Hackney Central, was closed at the end of last month after police asked Hackney Council to temporarily revoke the venue’s licence following the stabbing on December 3.

A police report submitted to the council states that a man, who was standing at the bar, was allegedly stabbed four times during an incident and required 18 stitches as a result.

Three men were arrested following the incident. One of them has been charged and the other two have been released on bail until the end of January.

Police said the alleged victim has “known gang links” and they were concerned that there would be reprisal attacks at the pub, which they believe was being frequented by gang members.

The council held a full review hearing on December 23 and suspended the pub’s licence for a maximum of three months.

It received two letters supporting the suspension including one from a mother-of-two who said that when the venue, which was called Anatolia Bar at the time, closed a few years ago, “There was considerably less disorder on our streets – no late-night shouting, urinating on walls, broken bottles, fights outside our houses – it was a glorious respite.”

Maddigan’s previously underwent a licence review on November 5, after no less than four residents’ associations appealed to the council’s licensing committee to slash the hours of the venue, which is open until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, and 11.30pm on week nights.

They claimed they were unable to sleep because of noise made by customers congregating outside the pub late into the night and complained of antisocial behaviour, including broken glass being left behind.

But due to insufficient evidence kept by the residents’ associations, the licensing committee decided not to cut back the pub’s hours.

Instead, it asked Maddigan’s not to admit people after midnight and to ensure that all the benches outside the pub were empty after 11pm.

The licensee, Ali Abaci, did not respond to the Gazette’s request for a comment.