A PUB which police say has become a centre for drugs and violence faces permanent closure from today.

The council's licensing sub-committee suspended the licence held by Terry Jelley for The Pitlake Arms in Waddon New Road on January 10.

At a hearing being held this morning, the sub-committee is due to be asked by police to revoke Mr Jelley's licence completely.

Update: The Pitlake Arms landlord Terry Jelley has now lost his licence and said he is planning to sell his pub

In evidence being presented to the councillors, licensing officer PC Darren Rhodes cites a number of attacks in and around the pub between 2007 and the beginning of this year.

PC Rhodes claims the pub has been "a source of crime and disorder in Croydon for some years; however 2011 and 2012 has seen a significant increase in frequency and severity".

In November last year a victim was attacked with a baseball bat, and on January 1 this year another person was punched and kicked in the head.

Pc Rhodes said there was evidence the use of drugs is "commonplace" and that the pub has been trading outside permitted hours for some.

He added: "The violence is associated with those times.

"Mr Jelley has openly admitted to police he is trading after his permitted hours as it is the only way his business can survive.

"As a consequence the people who are using his venue are clearly of a violent nature and would probably have been excluded from well-run establishments."

Mr Jelley, 68, told the Advertiser this week he had run The Pitlake Arms since 1995 and had seen business drop off since the arrival of Tramlink in the late 1990s, which saw closure of the road during construction.

This drove customers away, he said, and the business had never recovered.

Mr Jelley said: "I have been trying to sell it for years but there have been no takers."

He has also made unsuccessful attempts to redevelop the premises with flats.

Mr Jelley said: "All I am trying to do is pay my way and make a living but I admit I have had a bit of trouble here over the last couple of months. It is just how things go.

"I work here mainly on my own and you can't always stop people fighting. You just have to look at the riots."

Mr Jelley admitted he had held "a couple of lock-ins" to help make ends meet but said he was not aware of drugs being used in the pub.

He said he would be attending today's hearing but did not know what to expect.

He said: "I can't afford a solicitor and I don't know what I will do if they take my licence away."