Drinkers at a pub in Smethwick near to where a three-year-old boy found a loaded gun will have to pass through airport-style metal detectors.

Police asked Sandwell Council to change the licence terms of the London Apprentice to prevent any repeats of the incident in March. Mahde Guled discovered the loaded gun dumped in the garden of his Oakfield Close home in Smethwick on March 8. He handed it to his 11-year-old brother Warsma who, thinking it was a toy, took aim and fired. 

The bullet ripped through the windscreen of a parked car. His mother Nimco said afterwards that it was a miracle no-one was injured or killed.

Police said they believed that the gun was ditched near the London Apprentice in Windmill Lane by a man they were chasing on suspicion of smoking drugs in the pub’s car park earlier that night.

Sandwell Council’s licensing panel imposed the recommendations yesterday 

Measures include a low metal fence around the car park to prevent drivers making speedy getaways, improved CCTV and lighting, at least three security guards on the door for any event and all security staff to wear high-visibility jackets.

Sandwell licensing inspector Pat Smythe, from West Bromwich police, told the meeting the pub’s car park had a reputation for people smoking cannabis, which licensee Alvin Palmer described as a “police problem”. 

“The pub was bad once and I have really cleaned it up in the 13 years I have been there,” Mr Palmer claimed. “I can’t keep an eye on the car park all the time.”

He also said his neighbours had “no problem” with him and that the cost of the metal detectors would hamper his business.

Insp Smythe told councillors the measures would help customers feel safer and could even attract more customers. “Had the children pointed it at each other we would have been dealing with a tragedy,” he said.

Mr Palmer declined to comment after the meeting and directed all inquiries to his solicitor Patrick Burke, who refused to say anything.

As well as the metal detector at one of the pub’s entrances door staff will continue to operate hand-held scanners which Mr Palmer had already made sure were used.