THE future of a Leominster pub will be in the hands of a Herefordshire Council committee when it meets on Friday.

The Ducking Stool, on South Street had its licence suspended at a special meeting of Herefordshire Council’s regulatory committee earlier this month after a 29-year-old suffered significant injuries to his face during a late-night disturbance.

After appealing that decision, Janet Morris, the licensee, was removed as the designated premises supervisor and the venue re-opened with stringent conditions.

Those conditions included a reduction in operating hours for licensable activities on Friday and Saturday nights from 2am to midnight.

The Hereford Times reported last week how regulars at the pub are calling for normal opening hours to be re-instated, with claims that the venue is one of the safest in Leominster.

Tomorrow, Herefordshire Council's regulatory sub committee will make a definitive decision on the future for the venue.

Options open to the committee include modifying the conditions of the premises licence, removing the designated premises supervisor, suspending the licence for a period not exceeding three months, revoking the licence or taking no further action.

The hearing takes place at the Shirehall in Hereford on Friday at 11am.