The Camden

A POPULAR late-night music venue could be forced to close after the police made claims about mismanagement.

A Town Hall licensing review tonight (Thursday) will decide the fate of The Camden – a bar and nightclub in Crowndale Road. It is allowed to stay open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays – but police and licensing officers say the owners have been ignoring rules and residents have also lodged a string of complaints about littering and drug-taking in the streets.

Owner Tony Ray told the New Journal that if the venue had to shut early his business would be under threat of closure – and that Camden Town will lose another grassroots music venue.

He said: “It will be devastating for us and it feels like the police do not care if Camden Town loses another place for grassroots music and up and coming acts.

“It is hard enough to run a music venue – business rates and rents are high. That’s why if you visit Camden Town today, you see so many of the smaller, independent venues now closed.

“Venues like ours are vital for new bands and performers to learn their trade. Camden Town needs venues like ours and the police and council should sit down and work through problems with venues before trying to shut places down.

“There have been some management issues, where things could be done better, but not to the level where they want us to close down. I have a new management team now in place and this needs to be recognised.”

He said he would appeal any changes to his licence made at the hearing, adding: “The council say they are happy with us but the review is not looking good – but I dispute what has been claimed, and it is not backed up with evidence.”

The venue was previously known as The Purple Turtle and has hosted a range of gigs and musical genres. It has been used for fundraising events, including benefit events for the mayor of Camden’s chosen charities, and more recently for campaign group Love Music Hate Racism.

A letter from the Friends of Oakley Square said there was regularly late-night noise from punters coming from the venue and they had seen groups “drinking, taking drugs, inhaling laughing gas and urinating in our doorways” before events. It added the venue had installed noise limiters but they were not in use, and that there were issues with litter caused by the venue not managing their refuse bins properly.

A police report added the venue was “in an extremely challenging part of Camden…targeted by those looking to commit robberies.” It said that breaches of conditions meant the management was “unable to uphold and promote” the terms of their licence, adding: “The venue had consistently breached conditions despite repetitive meetings, advice and changes to the management.”

Camden Council’s licensing committee will make recommendations at the meeting.