A BRAWL on New Year’s Eve which started in an East Oxford nightclub could have been pre-planned, managers said.

It comes as owner of The Regal in Cowley Road revealed he had pulled the plug on “urban” events for the forseeable future until there was a “change in attitude” towards similar events in the city.

Five people were arrested after more than 50 people were involved in mass street brawl in Cowley Road in the early hours of New Year’s Day. There were also reports a man was stabbed in the buttocks.

The club said it was forced to end its sell-out Urban Goodies night after “four or five” small fights broke out inside the venue and spilled out on to the street at about 2.30am.

Manager Niaz Ali, who has owned the former cinema and bingo hall for four years, stressed the vast majority of revellers at urban events in the city behaved well, but trouble linked to them had damaged their reputation.

He said: “Over the last year in Oxford there has been a lot of issues related to these type of events. People have a very negative opinion of them, often without being very well informed.

“It’s a greater social problem. It is not something a venue can sort out itself. We will wait until other venues host urban nights and we have seen there is no trouble and then maybe we will think about it again.”

Managers said it was the first time the club had problems with their urban nights, and staff were examining CCTV footage and obtaining written statements from their 12 doormen.

There were 850 people in the venue at its peak.

Mr Ali said: “My doormen said it wasn’t something they could have continued controlling, which is why we made the decision to stop the music.

“Four or five fights broke out inside the club at exactly the same time and we are looking at whether it was planned.

“There were people from Birmingham, London and Oxford, but we can’t point the finger at anyone for starting it.”

Mr Ali said the fights were contained in the club and revellers became overly aggressive when they were moved on to the street. Police helped disperse the trouble.

Several people were treated for injuries ranging from concussion to minor puncture wounds.

Elizabeth Mills, chairman of the Divinity Road Area Residents’ Association, said: “I would like to see licensing rules reviewed in the whole of Cowley Road.”

Alex Bloomfield, Thames Valley Police’s licensing officer, said: “From a licensing perspective, I can confirm that we are reviewing the circumstances around the incident to ascertain the most appropriate action to take.”

Anyone with information about the brawl should call police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.