Published: Wednesday, 3rd March, 2010 2:57pm

Violence erupts as 50 clash in town centre

By Ewan McInnes

TROUBLE: The fight started in Bar 51

A FULL scale riot climaxed with one man being stabbed in the back on Sunday night.

The battle started in Bar 51, just hours after a vital Old Firm football match, and when the owners were forced to shut the bar, the skirmish continued on to Cross Arthurlie Street.

Cops were called in to deal with the crowd, which was in excess of 50 youths and adults, at around 8pm.

One man involved in the tussle suffered a stab wound to his back and cops put out a call for assistance which resulted in up to eight police vehicles converging on the area.

Police managed to get the situation under control and the large crowd was cleared from the area.

A police officer suffered an injury to her finger and was treated at the Royal Alexandra Hospital but was fit for duty once seen to by medics.

Cops will analyse CCTV footage taken from Bar 51 in a bid to trace all guilty parties involved in the fracas.

A number of people were arrested and fixed penalties were handed out for public disorder.

Those arrested at the scene, who were allegedly involved in the tussle, were taken to the police offices of Helen Street and Aikenhead Road, both in Glasgow.

Barrhead chief inspector Kenny Graham said: "Police officers attended the report of a disturbance at Bar 51, on Cross Arthurlie Street, on Sunday evening.

"A call went out for assistance and the trouble spilled out onto the street.

"A number of police officers arrived and subsequently made arrests.

"It was put under control and the crowd dispersed.

"An adult male received a stab wound to the shoulder, he left the premises and was subsequently arrested.

"When it was known he was injured he was taken to the RAH and treated."

Gary Paterson, of the Iona Pub Partnership, the landlord for Bar 51, told the Barrhead News the pub had been closed since the melee but hoped it would re-open today.

He said: "Unfortunately on the back of the Old Firm game there was an incident in the pub.

"The owners took the decision to shut the bar after a bit of bother inside.

"Rather than allow it to continue inside they decided to close the bar and contact police.

"We understand someone was hurt requiring five stitches.

"The owners [closed the pub] to make sure everything is in order with their licensing.

"We have spoken with the police licensing and they said the pub is okay to open and it probably will on Wednesday.

"The pub has had trouble in the past but the new owners are trying to invest a lot of money in refurbishments and do away with its old image."

Anyone with any information on the incident should contact Barrhead police office on 0141 532 6200.

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