Police oppose plans for party at club marred by violence

Francis Pearson has applied for a temporary events licence to host an event at the former club, which closed down five years ago following a police raid in which more than 300 officers descended on the premises, but made no arrests.

Niche, known as the home of bassline music, reopened in Charter Square but closed down again in October after the council imposed numerous restrictions on its licence, including making the bar a members-only club.

Those restrictions came into force after a call for a licence review from South Yorkshire Police, which cited numerous violent incidents both inside and outside the club, culminating in a mass brawl in July which left five men with stab injuries.

In their objection to the latest application, South Yorkshire Police say the event would "attract the same clientele due to the applicant and DJ both having strong connections to the Niche."

They add: "As the event would be unregulated, a temporary event notice is not appropriate."

Niche's former owner Steve Baxendale said yesterday the plan was to reopen the Sidney Street site as a members-only club, under strict regulations, for monthly club nights.

Mr Baxendale, who spent 41 years working in Sheffield's club industry, moved to Bangkok to set up a new nightclub after the closure of Niche in Charter Row.

He said: "They've never heard of bassline in Thailand, but they'd never heard of it in Sheffield either until we developed it."