D-day: Future of V Club to be decided on Thursday (From Bournemouth Echo)

D-day: Future of V Club to be decided on Thursday

12:23pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News By Julie Magee

D-day: Future of V Club to be decided on Thursday

THE future of a Bournemouth nightclub which had its licence suspended following a stabbing will be decided on Thursday.

The V Club in Exeter Road has been closed since February 12 after violence flared on the dance floor following an argument.

Club regular Ben Selby, 29, from Bournemouth, was scarred for life and three of his friends, including a young woman, suffered minor knife wounds.

Ben was taken to Poole hospital where he underwent surgery and needed 50 stitches for a slash wound from his eye to his chin.

In the wake of the incident Dorset Police said they believed ‘the premises was associated with serious crime’ and pressed for an urgent review of the club’s licence.

That led to the council’s licensing sub-committee suspending its licence immediately. The decision was extended until Thursday when the council’s licensing board are set to review the licence.

In a report to the board, senior licensing officer Sarah Rogers says their options include changing the conditions of the licence, suspending the licence or revoking it.

Mrs Rogers said a new premises licence was granted on September 13 last year to Vee Asset Ltd and subsequently transferred to Mr Jacob Carr.

Solicitors are now acting on behalf of Garry Bennetton to transfer the premises licence into his sole name from the current licence holder Mr Carr.

Despite being closed the V Club is advertising a reopening event on Saturday.

Outlining police concerns, Sgt Steve Lyne, deputy section commander for Bournemouth Central, said: “There have been recent police interactions with the premises, highlighting concerns with the number and type of incidents occurring at, or directly, relating to the venue.”

A30-year-old Bournemouth man has been arrested in connection with the alleged stabbing and released on bail.