LANDLORDS and town bosses have condemned violence after a man was injured in a bar brawl on Monday night.

The 42-year-old man was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital with head injuries after he was struck with a chair in Yates Wine Lodge on Bradshawgate.

The incident took place at 5.15pm on Monday after two men began fighting in the town centre pub.

Police and paramedics rushed to the scene where the injured man was found with head injuries, although he was still conscious. His attacker escaped.

The injured man was kept in hospital overnight and released after treatment.

Night-time economy manager for Bolton town centre, Laura Miseo, has branded the fight a "disgrace", but was quick to reassure members of the public that violent crime has fallen dramatically.

She said: "Violent crime has fallen by eight per cent and serious assaults by 29 per cent. We've been carrying out visits to licensed premises, making sure they are safe and there is high profile policing in the town centre, which deters most things.

"This incident is something we wont tolerate, and something the police and the licensees wont tolerate. This person will obviously be dealt with by the police, but he will also receive a warning letter from myself and will probably be excluded from the town centre."

Landlord of the Man and Scythe, John Jewitt, who was himself attacked by a thug in May, is warning yobs that they are no longer welcome in the town centre.

The former vice-chairman of the Bolton Licensees Alliance said: "As far as Thursday, Friday and Saturday are concerned there is a full police presence and violence as a problem is almost non-existent. We all radio each other and make sure trouble stays out of the town centre.

"But I was attacked at 1.20pm on a Monday so obviously there are still some people around that want to cause trouble, but we will work to keep them out of the town centre."