The surge in Watford town centre disorder that led to police officers to say they were losing the battle for control was caused by the closure of other nightclubs in Hertfordshire, according to the town’s elected mayor.

Dorothy Thornhill said when the nightclub chain Luminar went into administration last year it led to an influx of young revellers into Watford that unbalanced the policing operation.

Speaking at a meeting of the full council last night, she said police had now got a handle on the situation and that any councillors concerned about the town centre should raise it directly with the borough’s new Chief Inspector, Nick Caveney.

Her comments were prompted by a question from Conservative councillor Andrew Mortimer who welcomed the appointment of Chief Inspector Caveney, but called on him undertake a “root and branch” assessment of how crime figures are compiled and night time town centre policing.

Mayor Thornhill responded to Councillor Mortimer’s question saying there had been a spike in disorder in the town before Christmas that had unsettled the feeling that police were in control of the situation.

She said: “Suddenly they were faced with groups of youngsters that did not know what usually happened on a night out here.

“But we have got to the bottom of it. It came with the closure of other Luminar venues in Hertfordshire.

“We had a number of people, quite a number of people, who hitherto went to clubs in Hemel, coming into Watford and not used to how we do business.”

Last November police officers, including an experienced police sergeant, had written to the council saying they felt night time violence in the town centre had increased to the point that they feared for their and their colleagues’ safety.

In a letter to the Watford Borough Council’s licensing committee officers called on the politicians to tighten licenses for late night premises to help ease the problem. At last night’s meeting Mayor Thornhill added that if Councillor Mortimer had concerns about how the town centre is policed that he should raise them directly with Chief Inspector Caveney.

“I think it is incumbent on us to understand how they police,” she added.

“You have to talk to the new guy and ask him how he intends to police the town centre”