LICENSEE of the Oxford Tavern, Ash Lyons, denies the hotel has security and safety issues despite its inclusion in a list of the state’s most violent pubs released by the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing.

The list, which was published on the weekend, placed The Oxford Tavern 13th on the list of the state’s worst 100 pubs and clubs.

According to recorded crime statistics used to compile the list, there were 23 assaults at The Oxford Tavern over a 12 month period, however, Mr Lyons said this is where the anomaly lies.

“This is the question we are asking..... assault, what do they mean by this?”

“We aren’t sure if they are confirmed assaults, under investigation, where people have been charged, or simply when someone has made an allegation to police,” he said.

And while he does not minimise any assault, Mr Lyons said the figures do not take into account the number of people the hotel caters for over a 12 month period.

“Figures I’ve calculated for the number of people that walk through the hotel show there is about one incident for every 33,000 patrons which walk through the door.

“That’s the one thing that hasn’t been recognised by all of this.

“I”m not trivialising assault in any way, but commonsense shows the more people that come through the door, the more incidents there will be, and that goes for a lot of places; cinemas and shopping centres, not just hotels.

“And while I can’t speak for all of the hotels [on the list] I can for the Mean Fiddler (which topped the list as the most violent pub in NSW) and I can say you wouldn’t get a better run pub in Australia.

“It’s figure (of 51 assaults over a 12 month period) wouldn’t equate to one assault per 50,000 patrons, but that information just isn’t recognised,” he said.

Mr Lyons said his hotel takes safety and security of patrons very seriously.

“Unbelievably so, we pride ourselves on that and I can guarantee 99 per cent of all other licensees do exactly the same.

“I’ve been in the industry for 25 years, and it’s a much better and safer industry now than it was 20 years ago, by ten-fold.

“If we were being irresponsible, we would be shut down, simple as that,” he said.

Mr Lyons said it was frustrating the community was being fed a bad perception of the industry.

“We are business people, but we are also parents, husbands and wives, and we’re heavily involved in the community and local charities.

“To paint a picture we are making financial gain at the detriment to society is wrong.

“Rogue traders in this industry just don’t survive,” he said.

As for reports in the Sydney media that pubs on the list had two weeks to show why they should remain open, Mr Lyons said this was not the case.

“The hotels received a standard document 66A from the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR) where they answer questions to help OLGR understand any issues at hand and work to develop preventative strategies for the future.

“The top 20 hotels on the list are among the busiest in the state so it makes sense OLGR want to work with us on what solutions we think will work within the industry,” he said.