two inspectors with paperwork and a tablet

The Green Bear in Church Road, Nuneaton, was served with a prohibition notice by the local fire service.

The club has been told it can only reopen once it addresses serious fire safety concerns. They were forced to close following a joint operation by Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service and Warwickshire Police.

On inspection of the premises, the fire service found there was insufficient fire-resistant separation between the commercial premises on the ground floor and the means of escape from the upper floor residential accommodation. Inspectors also noted the absence of a working fire alarm when they visited on 27 April.

A spokesperson for Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "There was no working means of detecting a fire and giving warning to those visiting the premises or to those sleeping on the upper floor.

"Any fire on the ground floor would result in heat and/or smoke filling the escape route and other parts of the premises, potentially overcoming people while they sleep or preventing them from making a safe escape from the premises.

"The pub will have to address and satisfy all the issues raised before being allowed to reopen."

A notice on the front door of the Green Bear explains the venue was closed by the fire service after a prohibition notice was enforced under article 25 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. It is not clear for how long the club will remain closed.