Farringdon nightclub faces sanction over ‘worrying trend’ of violent brawls
Islington cops are concerned about an increase in violent offences at Club Reina, right, since December last year. Picture: Google Street View - Credit: Archant
Islington cops are trying to remove the bosses of a Farringdon nightclub after a series of violent brawls – including one which spilled out onto the street with revellers wielding baseball bats and chains.
Police have applied to Islington Council for a premises licence review of Club Reina in Charterhouse Street, two doors down from superclub Fabric.
Pc Steven Harrington, who applied for the review, wants Sinan Kurt and Onur Sirorem to be removed from running the club, and for full body pat-downs to be introduced on entry.
He said in council licensing papers: “Club Reina has begun to attract clientele who are willing to engage in violent behaviour. This worrying trend now needs to stop.
“The continued rise leads me to believe that it is not security causing the problem but it is the way the club is managed.”
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Pc Harrington said the club’s management has engaged with police, “but only to a certain level”. The Gazette has approached the club for comment.
Between December 1 last year and September 10 this year, there have been eight violent offences reported to police.
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Among those was an allegation of grievous bodily harm on December 18, when a victim was said to have been knocked unconcious after trying to protect a woman who had been hit while in the queue. Staff were described as “uncooperative”.
In another grievous bodily harm claim on February 25, a woman was reported to have been held down by her hair and punched in the face.
Meanwhile, Pc Tim Livermore described being called to a report of six men fighting on September 1. “It was clear that it was a more significant incident than reported and staff had cleared the premises of hundreds of hysterical patrons into Charterhouse Street and locked the doors.
“We were the first unit on the scene and could see males armed with baseball bats, belts and chains fighting among the crowd outside. Other males could be seen fighting with crutches.”
Pc Livermore said CCTV footage showed: “Multiple fights and scuffles within the club. At one point everyone inside appears to be fighting – but no weapons seen on footage.”
Islington Council’s licensing sub committee will consider the application at a town hall meeting on Thursday (November 9).
