TROUBLED Bournemouth nightspot V Club has had its licence revoked, following a serious stabbing there last month.

Licensing chiefs voted to take the drastic measure after a day spent hearing evidence from police, who claimed the premises was associated with serious crime. See our report from the meeting here. 

The nightclub has been closed since February 12 after an incident in which Ben Selby, 29, was stabbed in the face.

Ben, of Bournemouth, was scarred for life in the attack and three of his friends, including a young woman, suffered minor knife wounds.

In the wake of the incident Dorset Police said called for an urgent review of the premises. Its licence was suspended and now councillors have decided to formally revoke it.

The vast majority of the town hall hearing was held behind closed doors but evidence from senior environmental health officer Ben Sims was heard in public.

He attempted to carry out a health and safety inspection of V after being told by senior licensing officer Sarah Rogers that “the premises to me feel that there is an accident waiting to happen.”

She had particular concerns about a hot tub installed at the premises, saying: “It just does not seem right that there is a hot tub available given the level of intoxication at the premises and the fact that it was not monitored exclusively by anybody.”

She said she spotted a “drunk” couple “clearly trying to have sex”.

Mr Sims then spent four months asking Richard Carr and other club personnel to provide him with the relevant health and safety policies and risk assessments. He told councillors he had still not managed to visit the premises or get all the information he needed.

When asked whether this was unusual, he said: “It’s very unusual.

Most people, because of the nature of my job, respond very quickly.

Most people reply to my letters but I received no correspondence whatsoever.

“It was only from persistent digging that I got somewhere though I still haven’t got what I want.”

Cllr Andrew Morgan, chairman of the licensing board, said: “Today’s Licensing Board meeting decided to revoke the licence for ‘V’ club.

“We concluded that a combination of a difficult clientele, a complicated venue and poor management makes it difficult to uphold the licensing objectives.

“This means that the club is not allowed to open.”

Bournemouth's police inspector has said the decision to revoke V Club’s licence sends out a clear message that poorly managed venues will not be tolerated.

A new premises licence for V was granted on September 13 last year to Vee Asset Ltd and subsequently transferred to Mr Jacob Carr. This week the licence was transferred from Mr Carr to new owner Gary Bennetton. 

MR Bennetton had vowed to run the venue “properly and professionally” if he was allowed to reopen it after the licensing meeting.

Adverts had gone up on Facebook and the club website to promote a re-launch party but they have now been removed.

The Health and Safety report submitted to the committee