Police seek review of nightclub licence after 'rise in violence' 'increases'

POLICE officers in Sheffield have applied for the licence of a city centre nightclub to be reviewed after a "disproportionately significant" number of violent incidents there, which have "increased in severity" in recent weeks.

Between September 11 and October 10 this year officers were called to Empire Bar in Charter Square six times to deal with incidents including a stabbing and large-scale brawls.

Last month, police also held a meeting with bosses at Empire Bar to discuss the possibility that violence had escalated since the closure of the neighbouring Niche nightclub.

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In August this year, police applied for a review of Niche's licence after a catalogue of crimes took place both on the premises and outside, including an incident in July in which five men were stabbed.

Although Niche was permitted by Sheffield Council's licensing committee to reopen under strict conditions and tight security, the club –- known as the home of "bassline" music – closed down last month.

In his application to Sheffield Council for the review of Empire Bar's licence, Inspector Neil Mutch from South Yorkshire Police said: "Empire Bar has had a significant increase in incidents reported to the police, that have increased in severity within the last several weeks.

"These incidents have involved complaints of assault from both inside and outside the premises. There has also been large-scale fighting outside the premises, culminating in a man being stabbed on October 10."

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Police records show that on September 11 officers were called to Empire Bar after reports that about 30 people were fighting. One man was found unconscious and bleeding from the head but, when he was taken to the Northern General Hospital, he "refused to disclose what had happened and no complaint was made."

The following night, police were called back to Empire Bar after reports that door staff could not cope with a fight involving up to 20 men. Ambulances were called to help three men who were bleeding from the face, though none of them would speak to the police.

Later that month an underage girl was arrested inside the bar and, at 5.30am on October 10, police were called by staff at the Northern General Hospital who were dealing with a man who had been stabbed three times in the back of the leg while in Empire Bar. He refused to speak to police and nobody was arrested.

A further representation has been made to Sheffield Council's licensing board by Julie Hague, licensing project manager for the Sheffield Safeguarding Children Board, who said that Empire Bar has "escalated out of the control of the premises management."

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She added: "On September 24 an intoxicated, vulnerable 17-year-old girl accessed the nightclub and was exposed to the risk of violence."

However, in a letter to the licensing board, Dawid Heczko – company director of H&J Management which runs Empire Bar – said that part of the reason for crowds gathering outside was due to new conditions imposed by Sheffield Council, which ban any entry after 1.30pm.

Mr Heczko said: "Around 100 customers were turned away at the doors due to this condition. This caused a lot of customers to be unhappy and hang around in Charter Square, and this made the door supervisors' job more difficult.

"They had to divide their attention more than average and customers couldn't understand why they were not allowed into Empire Bar, as they were previously allowed in after 1.30am.

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"We would like to point out that if any type of incident was to take place on Charter Square that this is not held against Empire Bar."

At the licensing board meeting next Tuesday, councillors can decide to revoke Empire Bar's licence, put new conditions on that licence or else allow the bar to continue trading as usual.