PAV NIGHTCLUB SHOULD NOT CLOSE

Police call for club closure.

POLICE are calling for the permanent closure of the Pav nightclub in Matlock Bath.

On Tuesday evening Inspector Paul Corton, of Matlock Police, met with angry residents and parish councillors who claim the venue is a magnet for anti-social behaviour and under-age drinking.

He confirmed officers would be presenting evidence to the district council’s licensing committee which would warrant closure of the venue. The moves comes after a double stabbing outside the club on February 10.

Insp Corton told the meeting: “Our case will not hang just on the events of February 10 because there has been a constant drip of incidents occurring for some time.

“We feel the situation is so serious that we have to go for revocation of the premises licence.

“We will be presenting evidence to say the venue is having a negative impact on the community.”

Police are also investigating whether there is a case to seek revocation of the management’s personal licences – which could prohibit them from running other venues now and in the future.

Licensee of the Pav Simon Ball was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press but he previously told the Mercury he was working with the police.

Residents, who did not want to be named in the paper, were angry that licensing officials did not attend the meeting despite being invited, but it was mooted that their attendance might prejudice the impending review.

A member of the public said that people in the village were scared by regular incidents of anti-social behaviour which they say stem from the nightclub.

They added: “It’s unacceptable for this to happen in a residential village.

“I’m disappointed that the district council licensing officials haven’t attended tonight.

“They license things without having to live with the effects.”

Another resident said: “It seems like there’s a suspension of normal society rules between 10pm and 4am on a Friday and Saturday night.

“Anti-social behaviour ranges from urinating in people’s gardens to anything remotely portable being thrown. Twice a week I’m woken up by people shouting and banging on my house.

“It is insidious corruption of all the values we want.”

A licensee and member of the newly-formed Matlock Bath Pubwatch, claimed: “We all work so hard to prevent under-age drinking but I feel (The Pav) are working to a different set of rules.”

Matlock Bath Parish Council chair Belinda Heaney said: “If Derbyshire Dales District Council opts to hear The Pav’s review we would object on the grounds that the district council owns the building and therefore has a vested interest.”

Councillors also urged all interested parties to make representations once the review is called.

Derbyshire Dales District Council’s head of community services, John Morris, said: "The district council are the licensing authority.

“This function was passed from the Magistrates Court and is entirely separate from any other activities which the district council has responsibility for."
08 March 2007