24 June 2009

Another victory for Avonmore residents

The controversial West Kensington nightclub, The Crescent, – where a man was stabbed to death outside its entrance last week – has been refused a longer license.

Local residents are angry that The Crescent – which was initially intended to be a lap dancing club – has been causing a rise in anti-social behaviour and disturbance in the area.

The club had applied to vary its hours so that it could stay open for an extra three hours until 5am from Thursday to Saturday, until 3am on all other weeknights and until 2am on Sundays. Hundreds of local residents objected to the changes.

Residents who spoke at the council hearing this week said that the club had brought drug dealing back to the area, and that it often broke its licensing conditions by allowing customers into the bar after midnight, when there is a no re-admittance policy. Others said customers frequently fought in the street, and vomited and urinated on their doorsteps and in their gardens.

The council’s environmental health department has received 20 complaints since the opening of the club in November last year, relating to noise coming from the club or patrons leaving the premises.

On Tuesday the council's licensing committee turned down the request for longer opening hours. Another victory for local residents in Avonmore.

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