A BOURNEMOUTH nightclub has dropped a 79p Friday night drinks promotion after concerns it could encourage speed drinking.

Bournemouth’s Waterfront club Coyote Ugly was suspended from Town Watch after members agreed that the promotion was “irresponsible”.

The promotion during Friday’s Saved by the Bell night involved a bell being rung every hour when people would have the opportunity to buy house spirits for 79p within a 10-minute slot.

It was run for three weeks before concerns were raised by Town Watch and the club was suspended for one month.

Jordan Wells, general manager of Coyote Ugly Bournemouth, pointed out that the club has to compete with several other late night venues offering cheap drinks.

He added that the 79p promotion was cancelled immediately and that DJs now hand out non-alcoholic prizes to clubbers during the ten minutes.

He said: “We at Coyote Ugly have re-assessed that promotion and taken the following steps to ensure that the venue continues to operate to the highest levels of professionalism and integrity.

“The said promotion was changed to selected drinks for £1 for the duration of the night.”

He added that although the 79p promotion was still displayed on the website it was expected to have been corrected this week.

Jon Shipp, Bournemouth Borough Council’s night-time economy manager, said that Coyote Ugly had been suspended from Town Watch because “it was felt by members of Town Watch that the promotion they were running was encouraging people to drink more.”

The club is likely to be re-instated as a member at the next Town Watch meeting on November 4 if it has complied with the voluntary code, he added.

Bournemouth Inspector Dean O’Connor said police did not have the power to control the price venues offered drinks at but said: “We would encourage people to keep their prices at a reasonable level.”