Basingstoke’s only nightclub could be forced to close following a spate of incidents at the venue.
Police have asked Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to review the premises licence of Liquid nightclub in Festival Place.
Councillors were set to meet today (Thursday) to consider withdrawing the licence for up to three months. It was cancelled due to the weather. The rescheduled meeting has yet to be announced.
More complaints have been made against the nightclub than at any other licensed premises in the town centre. From September 2009 to October this year, police were called to 91 incidences at Liquid.
A large majority were caused by drunk revellers.
In a report submitted to the council’s licensing sub-committee, evidence included a harrowing description sent to Liquid’s management by a concerned parent detailing a sons attack on June 20.
The statement said: “My son was the victim of an unprovoked assault carried out by a number of individuals. The assault began when he was head-butted in the face by a Liquid customer.
“The individual responsible for the assault, together with a number of his accomplices, were waiting outside the club. A number of them held my son whilst others subjected him to a barrage of kicks and punches.”
Basingstoke police’s licensing officer, Claire Wanless, wants the club to close so it can bring in measures to prevent future violence. These include all door staff wearing video equipment to record incidents.
All pubs and clubs have to meet conditions set out by the Licensing Act 2003. These include taking steps to prevent crime and disorder, the prevention of public nuisance and ensuring public safety.
Liquid has been accused of failing to meet these conditions.
As the town’s only nightclub, it is considered the venue where people end up on a night out.
Liquid were unavailable to comment this week.
But duty manager at Lloyds No.1 Bar Andy Lowis said: “With these sort of incidents, they happen because it is the last place for people to go, so they get a lot of drunk people.
“Because they are dealing with this, they can’t be solely to blame. It is purely because people can’t handle their drink.”
In Basingstoke and Deane as a whole, police logged a total of 2,951 violent crimes last year, with 89 per cent being against another person.
Across Hampshire, the majority of violent crime was committed by someone known to the victim rather than by a stranger.
However, Basingstoke town centre comes out as the top location in the county for violence caused by a stranger.
Police Chief Inspector Andrew Bottomley said: “It is necessary to focus on the town centre because it is where the majority of violent offences occur. This licensed premises is contributing to the levels of violence in the town centre and surrounding area.”
