Staff at Ilford’s Blackhorse pub terrorised by gang of 15

The manager of an Ilford pub says a lack of response from police after a gang threatened to stab him left him feeling “physically sick”.

Jonathan Feld, 46, of the Blackhorse Pub, Chapel Road, Ilford says he was confronted with a gang of around 15 men after he was forced to cancel an event due to noise issues.

Mr Feld said he arrived for work at around 6pm on Monday of last week to find some of the men behind his bar, while others locked the pub doors from the inside to prevent anybody getting in.

He says the gang was demanding the instant return of a deposit in excess of �300 that had already been partially returned in order to ease the situation, despite a 14 day return policy.

The manager, who has been running the pub for less than two months, said: “I had informed the organiser that his event would have to be rearranged and that’s when the threats started.

“When I got to the pub, some of them were behind the bar harassing the barmaid. She was in a bit of a state.

“I managed to get to the basement and call the police, but most of them legged it when they heard the sirens.”

Police have since confirmed that a man was interviewed, but that “no police action has been taken at this time”.

Shortly after being interviewed, Mr Feld claims the event organiser returned to the pub and threatened him again.

He added: “The police didn’t want to hear my side of the story, they didn’t even wait to take my statement before they decided they were not taking it any further.

“Now this group have got away with this, they could go on to do a lot worse. It’s basically a green light.”