New Year party application blocked

Those behind the Niche club, known as the home of bassline music, have applied for a temporary events licence to hold a party at the club's former home in Sidney Street, Sheffield.

South Yorkshire Police objected to that application, saying that the party would "attract the same clientele" as the last Niche club in Charter Square, which closed down earlier this year.

Personal licence holder Francis Pearson had applied to hold the event at Niche's previous venue in Sidney Street, which closed down five years ago following a police raid in which more than 300 officers descended on the premises and made 12 arrests.

Niche then reopened in Charter Square, closer to the city centre, but closed permanently following an incident in July this year in which five men were stabbed.

South Yorkshire Police applied for the club's licence to be removed following that attack, but Sheffield Council officials allowed Niche to reopen under a string of tough conditions, including ramped-up security and a members-only policy.

Niche, however, then closed in October and owner Steve Baxendale has since moved to Bangkok to set up a new bassline club in the Thai capital.

At a licensing board meeting in Sheffield yesterday officials upheld the police's latest objection and said the New Year party at Sidney Street should not go ahead.