EPPING: Brawl nightclub shut down (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

EPPING: Brawl nightclub shut down

9:20pm Wednesday 21st October 2009 in

By Daniel Binns »

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EPPING Forest District Council has revoked the licence of nightclub One9Five after a mass brawl outside its premises in which eight people were stabbed.

The authority's licensing sub-committee made the announcement this evening after nearly ten hours of debate, discussion and evidence at a heated meeting held at its High Street offices.

The hearing was called following the large-scale fight in Cottis Lane and Epping High Street in the early hours of Saturday September 26, which involved more than 100 people and ended in 13 men being rushed to hospital.

Councillor Mitchell Cohen, chair of the hearing, said the decision to revoke the licence had been made for four reasons.

He said: "[Firstly] we consider the police have proved on the balance of probabilities that there has been serious crime...which took place at or in an area within the direct control of Club One9Five.

"Secondly...proper appropriate steps were not taken by Club One9Five to prevent that serious crime.

"Thirdly, the breaches of the present licence conditions...gives no confidence that any reasonable conditions could be enforced for the prevention of crime".

He added that while Essex Police failed to undertake an "action plan" to prevent such disorder, the club took no such initiative either.

Scott Cummings, the licence holder of Club One9Five, was too in shock to comment to the Guardian after the hearing, but said he would make a statement tomorrow.

Earlier this evening, Club One9Five's lawyer David Dadds indicated that the nightspot's owners would appeal against any revocation of its licence.

During the hearing, Mr Dadds suggested the violence was linked to neighbouring nightspot Club Edge, and argued that the events in Cottis Lane were beyond the control of One9Five.

But Nicholas Sykes, representing Essex Police, said that most of those suspected to be involved and caught up in the mass brawl had come from Club One9Five.

Earlier the meeting heard how Club One9Five had breached its existing licence conditions by failing to properly keep a record of all incidents at its premises, and for serving drinks in glass bottles.

Police also revealed that the guest list for Club One9Five on the night of September 26 included names such as "Donald Duck" and "Ronald Reagan".

But Mr Dadds argued the guest list was purely for advertising future events at the club to its customers, and was not used as part of the entry process.

During the hearing, Essex Police argued that the only "necessary and proportionate" step to prevent future serious crimes in Cottis Lane would be to revoke the club's licence.

Mr Sykes said the club was "by far and beyond the worst [nightspot] in Epping" for disorders, and that there had been no "major incidents" locally since its licence was suspended shortly after the brawl.

Epping Forest District Commander Chief Inspector Alan Ray told the hearing that Club One9Five was behind "most" of Epping's night-time anti-social behaviour.

He said: "In my opinion Club One9Five contributes to most of our work on a Friday and Saturday night and does call me to deploy my officers to Cottis Lane every Friday and Saturday night to the detriment of [other areas] of the district."

Chief Inspector Ray, who has been district commander for four different regions of Essex during his long police career, added: "The most frightened I have ever been in my career is outside One9Five. There was a boxing night [on TV at the club] and a male was ejected who was keen to fight the world."

More reaction and details about today's hearing to follow.

EARLIER TODAY:

Today's hearing began at 10am, but was temporarily adjourned at 10.35am at the request of One9Five's lawyer David Dadds - despite an objection by Essex Police.

Mr Dadds said he needed more time to prepare his client's case after being provided with "last-minute" information from the police.

He also said he had a new batch of witness statements he wanted all parties to consider.

The police's legal representatives disputed the claims, and said the information had been provided at the request of Mr Dadds himself.

Mr Dadds accused the police of "poor conduct" and added: "If Essex Police want to be unfair then they should carry on as they are because they are showing their full colours."

Licensing sub-committee chairman, Cllr Mitchell Cohen, consulted with fellow committee members before agreeing to postpone proceedings until 12 noon to allow all parties to look at the new evidence.

He said: "I'm very keen to ensure that everything that needs to be heard is heard."

The hearing resumed at 12 noon, with the police making their opening statements detailing their reasons why they want the club shut.

Mr Dadds has been arguing that police statistics linking Club One9Five with crimes are distorted because it is a well-known landmark and used by people reporting crimes to describe where they are, irrespective of whether an incident happened there or not.

Police dispute this claim and say the incidents presented are without doubt linked to the nightspot.

The hearing adjourned for lunch at 1pm and resumed at 1.30pm.

PUBLIC AND PRESS BANNED AGAIN

There was drama again at 2.45pm when the committee ordered that part of the proceedings must be held in private - a position the Guardian believes to be unlawful.

The public and press were allowed to return to the meeting just after 3.40pm.

The police argued that testimony from an investigating officer should be heard behind closed doors - but the lawyer for One9Five sided with the Guardian's position that such statements should be made in public.

Mr Dadds said he wanted the press to be present for fear of an "ambush" by police, and called into question their conduct.

However both the police and Mr Dadds agreed the press should be banned from seeing CCTV footage - even though a detailed description of it is available for anyone to read on the district council's website.

A previous licence hearing into One9Five was held entirely in secret earlier this month - a decision which the Guardian has launched a legal challenge against.

In the weeks following the secret meeting, much of the previously banned information was made public, marking a u-turn for the authority.

Click here to see the previously banned papers released by the council on its website.

Comments(49)

ConcernedofLoughton says...
10:46am Wed 21 Oct 09

Bet they get their license back.