Worthing club could lose licence over drunken violence and police concerns

A series of assaults and an underage girl taking drugs at a Worthing nightclub are among incidents police believe should lead to the venue losing its licence.
The club's licence is subject to a review SUS-171024-162513001The club's licence is subject to a review SUS-171024-162513001
The club's licence is subject to a review SUS-171024-162513001

Councillors will decide next Thursday (November 2) whether to revoke the licence of One Club – also known as Liquid & Oxygen – in Chatsworth Road.

The review comes weeks after the club’s owners Peter Mott and Barry Wells were stripped of their licence for the adjacent Molotov Cocktail and Vodka Bar.

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Documents submitted to Worthing Borough Council’s licensing committee read: “Sussex Police understand the importance of a thriving and vibrant night-time economy within Worthing however this should not be allowed at the expense of public safety.”

Numerous incidents relating to heavily intoxicated customers are documented by police since November, 2016.

They included a callout on December 17 when a man was struck in the face, resulting in a fractured nose, two black eyes, a cut to his forehead and damage to his ear and teeth.

Police queried why the manager had driven him to hospital without reporting the incident to the authorities.

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In April, an underage girl was believed to have taken MDMA after being allowed into the club, where she then suffered a seizure.

Officers said the vulnerable girl had been ‘removed from the premises having received no medical attention and left in the street’.

Discrepancies in incident logs and missing staff training records were also subject of criticism.

The issues left police with ‘no confidence’ in the owners ‘having the ability to run a safe premises’. They said the latest incidents had a ‘disturbing similarity’ to those discussed at a review of the club’s licence in 2012.

The Molotov ruling has been appealed.

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September’s review hearing saw Mr Wells insist Molotov was ‘well-run’ despite issues, which police said included failing to provide a duty of care to a drunk woman who died seven days after a fall soon after leaving the venue.

Vino Vijayakumar, the new designated premises supervisor for the club, said: “We are working with the licensing authorities to address their concerns.”

The Herald has requested a comment from Mr Mott and Mr Wells’ representatives.

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