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HIPPO IN FIGHT FOR ITS LIFE

Nightspot bosses to launch legal challenge against City Hall


Cirque’s managers Nick Wright, left, and Steve Bowen
EXECUTIVES from one of the West End’s most famous night clubs are to launch a legal challenge against City Hall’s decision to strip it of its licence.
Cirque at the Hippodrome, in Leicester Square, became the only venue to have a conversion licence under the new Licensing Act refused by Westminster Council following warnings by the police that “fatalities could occur”.
The police produced pages and pages of evidence to the committee on Monday morning with details of more than 100 incidents they claimed were connected to the club including a shooting.
But the club’s managers have claimed the evidence is “unfounded” and “not accurate”.
The club is now planning to submit a new application while seeking to overturn the decision in the magistrates court and the high court. But if they fail the club will close for good on November 24.
The police listed more than 130 incidents at the club between April 2004 and August this year.
But the most damning evidence presented to Westminster’s licensing committee was a police report which suggests a club doorman opened doors to let some men take away an injured man who had been shot inside the club at the end of August this year.
Two men were shot in the incident just after 2am in the club.
A report by police officer David Scott submitted to the council said: “The tape clearly shows Mr Johnson (a doorman from the club) opening the rear door of the nightclub. The tape then shows a number of black males carrying another black male out of the premises.
“It is apparent that the person being carried has an injury of some description.
“The injured male is placed in the road close to the rear door of Cirque.”
But last night Steve Bowen, the manager of the club, denied that anything untoward had taken place and the doorman had merely opened the doors to let a group of friends help an injured man outside the premises. He added that the doorman did not know the man had been shot offered medical assistance but that it was refused.
In a statement Mr Bowen said: “We refute the allegations made against us. The statistics the police relied upon were discredited upon examination at the hearing and the police have refused to provide us with the data used to compile the reports on which they rely.” He added: “We will pursue our rights in the appropriate court or forum to ensure that we receive fairness for an institution which has been in Leicester Square since 1901.”
Defending their decision, Peter Large, Westminster’s deputy director of legal services, said: “The Metropolitan Police made clear to the committee their concerns that, if Cirque at the Hippodrome was granted a conversion licence, fatalities could occur at the premises.”
He added: “The centre of London offers a number of opportunities for a great night out and we will not tolerate premises that contribute to violence in the West End.”



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