A DUDLEY nightspot escaped closure despite a series of reported serious incidents at the premises including a man allegedly armed with a gun.
The Grand 8 venue was the subject of a request from West Midlands Police for its licence to be revoked on the grounds of prevention of crime and public safety.
The request was heard at a meeting of Dudley Council’s licensing sub-committee on July 16.
Councillors on the committee were told the High Street nightclub, previously known as The Venue, had been operating since 2013 without problems.
Since the new year, after the licence transferred to its current holders, Hospitality 8 Ltd, the premises had hosted ‘high risk events’ like Round Robins (parties that take place in clubs around the region).
In their evidence to the committee, West Midlands Police said: “Round Robin events are deemed as high risk events by West Midlands Police as they are clearly known to attract gang members.”
Among the incidents investigated by police was an allegation that in the early hours of new year’s day a woman had been attacked by her ex-partner’s new partner, leaving her with bruising and swollen fingers.
Officers allege later that night a suspect returned to the club, pulled out a revolver and threatened to ‘shoot up the dance floor’.
In another reported incident on January 27 police presented evidence that they were deployed at the venue after security staff lost control and people were being allowed in despite the building being at capacity, while ticket holders were becoming unhappy that they were being denied access.
More police were deployed to the rear of the venue as crowds of people attempted to force their way in.
In their statement to the committee police said they found security arrangements were inadequate, including a dog unit supplied by the venue where one dog was not provided due to the number of people while the other dog was a six-month-old puppy.
Further incidents involving inadequate crowd control, people attempting to force entry at round robin events, poor venue management and failures to comply with licensing regulations were highlighted in the police’s application for a review.
Hospitality 8 was represented at the committee by Sukhdip Randhawa who told councillors a change of management at the venue, including a new Designated Person in Charge (DPS) would stop the problems.
Mr Randhawa said: “There have been issues with the previous DPS, the issue here now is – is there new management or is it a way to circumvent what the police are asking for.
“There is a new management in place and there will be no more high risk events, these are individuals we can have faith in.”
Councillors were also told the new manager, Ravinder Singh Daub, has event management experience and is currently an events and conference manager at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham while the new DPS, Jorge Ngunza, is also an experienced bar manager.
Licensing officer Donna Jenkins, from West Midlands Police. said: “Nothing we have heard here today has convinced us that anything is going to change.”
Councillors on the committee stopped short of cancelling Hospitality 8’s licence but imposed a number of conditions on the club.
The venue will have 21 days to implement the conditions once it has been notified in writing or it will have to close for three months to make the changes, which must be approved by licensing authorities.
Among the changes will be a reduction in opening hours, Grand 8 is now only allowed to sell alcohol until midnight and must be closed by 12.30am.
Note: all the police evidence is published in appendix form with the agenda for the meeting here https://dudley.cmis.uk.com/Meetings/tabid/116/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/543/Meeting/6896/Committee/492/SelectedTab/Documents/Default.aspx
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