Bexleyheath nightclub Arcadia Lounge opening times plan refused over 'horrific' racial abuse

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Plans to extend the opening hours for a Bexley nightclub have been refused following reports of ‘horrific’ racial abuse to door staff.

Plans to extend the opening hours for a Bexley nightclub have been refused following reports of ‘horrific’ racial abuse to door staff. Bexley Council has rejected the proposal from Arcadia Lounge in Bexleyheath, claiming the extended hours would undermine measures to reduce public nuisance in the area.

The application sought to extend the closing time of the club by one hour on weekends to 3.30am. Opening hours on Thursdays would also have seen a 30 minute extension to 2am.

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Bexleyheath nightclub Arcadia Lounge has been told it cannot extend its opening hoursBexleyheath nightclub Arcadia Lounge has been told it cannot extend its opening hours
Bexleyheath nightclub Arcadia Lounge has been told it cannot extend its opening hours | Joe Coughlan/LDRS

The topic was discussed at a licensing meeting for Bexley Council on October 18. The sub-committee noted that the application was identical to a previously refused proposal from the club to extend its hours in May this year, with the exception that the revised application included a final entry time of 1.30am on weekends.

Legal counsel for the Met Police Armin Solimani said at the meeting that police officers were concerned about how the revised hours would affect the cumulative impact zone in Bexleyheath town centre. He said that the police were ‘baffled’ as to why a further application had been submitted from the venue. He added that claims from the nightclub that an extended opening time would assist in dispersing patrons in the area late at night were completely naïve and unrealistic.

Mr Solimani said: “Arcadia is the premises in this area in the cumulative impact zone that causes us the most concern. It generates the most crime reports, it generates the most disorder, it generates the most concern from these experienced police officers.”

The legal representative said there was evidence of ‘horrific’ racial abuse occurring at the venue within the crime reports submitted by the police, with five arrests having occurred at the venue this year. This included an incident in which a drunk patron bit a member of security while being ejected from the venue, partially breaking their skin and spitting in the face of another security guard while making several racist remarks.

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The topic was discussed at a licensing meeting for Bexley Council on October 18.The topic was discussed at a licensing meeting for Bexley Council on October 18.
The topic was discussed at a licensing meeting for Bexley Council on October 18. | Joe Coughlan/LDRS

Licensing lawyer David Dadds, speaking on behalf of Arcadia, questioned police representatives at the meeting on the incident. Mr Solimani noted that the individual was not arrested at the time of the abuse due to them being drunk. Police Constable Kate Ellen added that she had not checked the police’s database since the incident on whether the status of the case had been updated.

The sub-committee noted in its decision letter that it made no criticism of the operation of the premises and felt good management practices were in place at the venue, including a scanning system to record the details of those entering the club. The councillors also acknowledged that no licensed premises could be completely free of crime and disorder.

The proposal for the extended hours was rejected on the grounds that it would add to the cumulative impact of late night venues already operating in the town centre and undermine the prevention of public nuisance. The applicant has the right to appeal the decision of the sub-committee by submitting a claim to the Bexley Magistrates’ Court within 21 days.

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