Two men have been arrested on suspicion of GBH after a man was seriously injured in an attack outside The White Swan pub in Upper Street.
Police were called at about 11pm on Friday after the victim, in his mid 40s, had been punched during a fight on the new public space at Highbury Corner, outside the Wetherspoons pub.
He was taken to hospital and is in a serious but stable condition, according to Scotland Yard.
One man in his late 20s and another in his late 30s have been bailed until later this month.
Police taped off the area outside the pub for hours after the assault.
Cllr Paul Convery suggested Wetherspoon's had breached its licence by allowing customers to drink outside.
But the pub chain's spokesperson Eddie Gershon said: "The manager has looked at the CCTV with the police licensing officer and it shows door staff in position and customers do not take drinks outside and down the steps. There are people drinking on the wall opposite, however they are not customers."
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