Doncaster bar boss hits back in "bleach thrown over homeless" row

Photos have been shared on Facebook claiming to show a group of homeless people being drenched outside the Rock A Hula Tiki Bar in Lazarus Court over the weekend.

Revellers have reacted with anger towards the pictures which have been widely shared on social media, claiming that the bucket of water also contained bleach

But now bar manager David McIvor has hit back against the accusations and has defended his actions - but has denied throwing bleach over the man.

He said: "We are sick of the homeless problem but they are not proper homeless people.

"When I threw the water away, I was a good ten feet away from them. Water did go towards where they were but I asked them to move first.

"But before we knew it, there was loads of lies being spread about it."

The incident is understood to have happened late on Saturday night and one woman who witnessed the altercation, said: "We was sat in the fast food shop across from the bar.

"We saw the owner come out the pub and chuck red hot water and what smelt like cleaning substance or some type over three homeless people.

"Apparently he was washing away vomit on the floor. We went on to witness the same man do it twice more."

The woman, who has asked not to be identified and a pal, who took the photo, then contacted the police and also shared the picture to Facebook, with hundreds of people condemning the bar.

Mr McIvor said that homeless people have been hanging around outside the bar for several months on Friday and Saturday nights, begging from revellers, with one telling him that he could make up to £200 a night.

He added: "They are begging for money. Seven months ago I said I would offer him a job pot washing and I offered him £40 and he said to me 'on a Friday I can get 90-100 a night and on a good Saturday night 200.'

The bar manager said: "We are getting rid of the sick from the homeless. There has been poo in the doorway of other bars.

"We just thought enough is enough - it’s just getting out of hand. We pay insanely high rates and we are looking out for our customers.

"We have got to make sure that their safety is looked after, that’s down to us.

"We don’t want to do this but we have just poured some water out. We have poured water there for the last 20 years and this is the first time this has happened."

Mr McIvor says the problem is being ignored by Doncaster Council and that an alleyway near the bar is littered with needles and drug paraphenalia.

He added: "I did one towards where it slipped down and then another and I said 'are you going to move because the bucket is coming out.'

"I was 12-13ft away and it was a bucket of warm soapy water which had no bleach in. It’s getting worse and worse."