Club sees premises licence revoked just weeks after it was granted

A club in Birmingham has had its 4am premises licence revoked just five weeks after it was granted.

The decision by Birmingham City Council to revoke the licence of city centre venue Beorma Club was taken on 13 April at a full summary review hearing.

The club had only been granted its licence on 9 March.

The summary review hearing followed serious disorder outside the club on 13 March. The incident was said to have involved gang-associated customers and culminated in a gun being discharged in the street.

Security Industry Association staff witnessed the shot, but nobody from Beorma called the police.

Accordiing to barristers Gary Grant and Charles Streeten of Francis Taylor Building, who appeared for West Midlands Police, evidence later suggested the licence holder himself had over-ridden the judgment call of the SIA staff.

CCTV had revealed that the “shooter” had been able to enter the club without being searched or identified, that door staff failed to disperse congregating crowds outside the premises as required by conditions and, instead of protecting the premises and its customers, SIA staff were being utilised to bring a “Coffin” to VIP tables containing 10 bottles of champagne topped off by flares.

Birmingham City Council had suspended the premises licence at an earlier interim steps hearing.

However, the possibility was left open of a single pre-booked event taking place with a guest appearance from the US rapper (and former corrections officer) Rick Ross.

This event could only take place if a Safety Advisory Group (SAG) approved it upon receipt of further details.

When the SAG vetoed the proposed event due to the severity of the risks involved, the licence holder indicated he would ignore the veto and hold the event regardless.

Grant and Streeten said the Police responded by successfully applying to the magistrates’ court for a closure order under the new powers within Part IV of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Grant and Streeten were instructed by Tim Woodward of the Police Legal Department.