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West End club retaliates over closure threat
West End nightclub, Sound, has hit back at reports that it faces closure after a series of attacks by its doorstaff on customers and drunken incidents of violence among clubbers.
Media reports claimed that the club has had its licence revoked.
The Leicester Square club has released a statement, saying that a district judge will allow the club to remain open until 3am on weekdays and 4am at the weekend “as normal”, pending the club’s appeal of the decision to revoke its liquor licence.
In an article about Sound earlier this week, the Evening Standard reported nine violent incidents which had been detailed by police.
These included a 200-strong fight outside the club in March 2004 and an alleged assault on a woman in February 2004, who claimed she was thrown down stairs and threatened with a baton by door supervisors.
Of the incidents detailed in the article, Sound claims that only two incidents have “any factual basis” while “no serious injuries” were sustained in either case and the doorstaff involved were immediately dismissed.
Sound has also claimed that its security has been improved in recent months, that its doorstaff remain vetted and licenced by Westminster Council and that the decision to revoke its liquor licence was “unfair and not based on the evidence before the court”.
Commenting on the latest developments, club director and chair of Leicester Square Association, Roger Payne, said: “All the venues on the square take their approach to public safety extremely seriously, as evidenced by the launch of a pub watch scheme in June.
“Sound strives to be a model of good practice and is in constant contact with police and Westminster over initiatives.” Details: www.soundlondon.com or www.met.police.uk