Police want to shut down a shisha lounge in Charlton after a staff member suffered a brain bleed and had their jaw broken in an assault. The victim received emergency care in hospital and was in a “life threatening” condition following the incident.
Hayatt Lounge at 114 to 126 Westmoor Street promotes itself as a shisha lounge and restaurant that serves Lebanese and African cuisine and “fuses multicultural dining with modern day London energy to create an entirely new dining experience”.
The Met requested that the lounge’s premises licence be reviewed following the recent assault which took place in the early morning of Sunday, July 27.
The assault, which occurred outside the venue, involved a customer hitting a member of staff with an object. The victim was struck with such force by the object that it broke their jaw and caused a bleed on the brain.
A suspect was arrested in connection with the assault, but police noted they “found it difficult” to obtain statements from Hayatt staff who witnessed the incident and helped detain the suspect.
Police requested a premises licence review the following day, also seeking an interim suspension of the licence pending the hearing.
Greenwich Council’s Licensing Review Sub-Committee will be conducting the review on Tuesday, August 26. It also imposed interim steps that came into force on July 31, these being that all licensable activities must cease at 1am daily.
Besides the recent assault, there has been a spate of other instances of crime and disorder in the vicinity of the premises in the last 12 months as detailed in the police submission to the licence review.
In June, one of the members of Hayatt’s security staff was stabbed in the arm following a “large-scale fight”. Multiple police units attended the lounge in April to respond to another brawl between security and customers.
Upon arrival they were confronted with a “chaotic scene” of “mass disorder” and two of the venue’s security staff were eventually arrested.
Two armed robberies have also taken place near the Hayatt Lounge. In October last year, two men with guns robbed a man of his jewellery before pistol whipping him in the head multiple times.
The robbery took place on Holgate Street, just round the corner from Hayatt, and the victim had recently left the venue before he was robbed.
A man had his watch stolen in January when four masked suspects pulled up in a car outside Hayatt and threatened him with a machete. Security put barriers on the floor to stop the robbers from fleeing, but they drove straight through the barriers and left the area at speed.
Hayatt Lounge last had its licence reviewed in 2023 following more fights and assaults. More conditions were imposed on the licence such as the introduction of an ID scanner, digital cameras, better qualified security staff, metal detectors and a more comprehensive entry and search policy.
For the upcoming licence review, police wrote: “Since the review, we have seen that violence at the venue has not only continued, it has increased, with people bringing weapons, including firearms to the venue and the surrounding area.
“Restaurant security staff are having to wear stab proof jackets to protect themselves as staff have been subject to an armed attack on at least two occasions in the last 6 months.
“Large fights are taking place at the venue, which give the propensity for the Hayatt Lounges customers to be carrying weapons. This cannot be allowed to continue.”
Despite these recent incidents, several Hayatt customers have written to the council to offer their support for the venue, with one describing it as “a vital part of [the] Greenwich community, offering a safe, inclusive, and culturally enriching space for residents and visitors alike”.
Emeka Onyegbula also said: “Closing down Hayatt would not only take away a much-loved venue but would also be a loss to the cultural and social fabric of the area. I urge you to work with the owners rather than against them—to look at solutions and improvements if needed, but not to remove something that so many of us value deeply.
“Please let our voices be heard—Hayatt is a part of our community, and we want it to stay.”
Louise Okoroji, who visited Hayatt for three different events this year, said the venue offers a “refined and welcoming environment” and the security team are “highly professional” as well as “warm and approachable”.
She continued: “The venue is more than just a place to enjoy music, food, and drinks. It is a pillar event space in our community, drawing guests from across London and beyond.
“It provides a safe, well-managed, and uplifting environment where people can come together to celebrate, connect, and enjoy themselves. For many, including myself, it serves as a much-needed escape from the stresses of everyday life.”
Detective Constable Adilur Choudhury also offered his support for Hayatt Lounge, describing how staff at the venue greatly helped him during a recent investigation.
He said: “I can personally attest from my experience with Hayatt Lounge that they run a brilliant service to their guests and are fully cooperative and compliant to the police.
“As it pertains to my case I can confirm I have secured a positive outcome to our investigation which has now led to the courts to determine the overall outcome. I cannot emphasise enough the important role Hayatt Lounge has played in my investigation and I hope this letter truly reflects my appreciation for their establishment.”
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