Greg Owens

Napoleons in Manchester, England — said to be the oldest gay bar in Europe — has had its liquor license revoked. Authorities cited illegal workers, overflowing rubbish, blocked fire exits, and other violations as the cause.

The bar opened in 1941 and was long owned by renowned Manchester drag queen Fran Foo Foo Lamar. New owners purchased the property in 1972 and saw Manchester’s renowned Gay Village grow up around it, peaking in the 1990’s with dozens of venues and the area being nicknamed as Gaychester.

The original British version of Queer As Folk was set in Manchester and debuted in 1999.

Napoleons changed hands again in 2016, adding karaoke to the entertainment lineup and a late-night Chinese takeout restaurant.

The bar is currently owned by Napoleon HL Ltd., with company director Guixiang Liu registered as the designated premises supervisor, according to the BBC.

After testimony from Manchester authorities and the bar’s representative at a town hall licensing review hearing on Tuesday, council members voted to revoke the longtime bar’s liquor license.

An immigration raid at Napoleons on February 29 ended in the arrest of five workers and a £90,000 ($114,642) fine for the venue owners.

“It’s clear there’s a history of non-compliance and this has been compounded with these immigration offenses,” the council said in a statement about the many issues Napoleons failed to address over several years.

The neighboring Sackville House in the Gay Village complained of “overflowing rubbish which has attracted rats, pigeons and vermins” in a shared yard, which “has been the case for about two years.”

“The staff and customers have complained about the smell,” a representative from the historic house testified. “A generator was put in for five months and was on 24/7. It was moved in April. It was very noisy.”

A council licensing officer also reported internal “fire exits have been blocked” and workers’ inability to use and review required CCTV cameras and recorders at the site.

The representative for Napoleons said the issues — in addition to the immigration questions — have all been addressed. The representative said that revoking the bar’s alcohol license would “not be proportionate.”

“I think it’s fair to say in absence of the immigration offenses, [the Greater Manchester Police] would not be here,” Rebecca Lowe told the town hall committee meeting, referring to the police’s raid and testimony.

Napoleons denies that any of those arrested in the raid were working there at the time.

“We would say we are here prematurely and the revocation of the license in response to something that’s not yet proven. If the license is revoked and [the owner] loses months of trading which she cannot recover [from], that would not be proportionate,” a representative from the bar said.

Speaking of the revoked license, legal adviser to the panel Laura Raine said, “The committee considered all the options available for them today, but the main reasons are continuing breaches of conditions, illegal workers and a civil penalty notice, no management, clear lack of accountability, and a clear lack of training.”

Ivan Miadini said it was like a scene out of the Old Testament.

He and his husband were walking their dog a week ago Saturday night in Drogheda, north of the Irish capital in Dublin, when a gang of teenage boys starting verbally abusing them, calling them “f****t bastards”, “queers” and “pedophiles.”

“They threatened to kill us, rape our dog and told us to go back to our own countries,” Miadini told the Independent. “They were going to chase us off the island.”

The incident escalated as the teenagers started hurling stones at the couple and their dog and then physically attacked them. Both men were punched in the head and face. One man suffered a broken nose.

The attack lasted over a minute.

Despite the violence, Miadini managed to record most of the incident — he said the boys knocked his phone from his hands twice — and he posted it online in hopes local residents would come forward with information about the attackers’ identities.

Remarkably, the couple hasn’t contacted cops.

Referring to the state police in Ireland, Miadini told a local radio station, “I didn’t film with the intention of sharing it with the Garda. I think there is another way to go here.”

“I am sharing this with various outlets, with people I know to share it among themselves so we can find out who these people are and see what their situation is.”

“I really want to know before taking this further down the line.”

A local Garda source told the Irish Mirror police are aware of the video online and that it was a “shocking” attack. He hopes the couple comes forward.

“These teenage gangs should not get away with this,” he said. “There is no excuse for such vile homophobic and racist abuse.”

Imelda Munster, a member of the Irish Parliament representing Drogheda, said she’s spoken to the victims and condemned the attack.

“These are two law-abiding citizens going out for a walk with their dog when they are attacked in broad daylight because of who they are.

“Under no circumstances should these thugs get away with this. It was a frightening incident and everyone in Drogheda is shocked and angry.”

For their part, the couple, who recently relocated from Dublin, think their attackers should avoid jail time and be directed on a path to community service.

“I don’t think the solution here is just to throw the book at them with a criminal prosecution,” Miadini said.

“If these young people aren’t educated, they will grow up to carry out worse assaults.”

“Hopefully it doesn’t take root,” said Miadini, “because that kind of hate can only grow.”