Fire nightclub has been allowed to keep its licence after promises from new owners that they will turn the club around.

 

The club, which is on Call Lane, had its licence reviewed after a string of attacks and criminal offences including stabbings.

 

The Council’s Licensing Committee convened at Civic Hall earlier this week to decide the club’s fate.

 

Speaking to the committee, the venue’s new owner, Jon Hancock, said that he had no connections to the former management. He promised that he would turn the club around and that it would be “rebranded, refurbished and attract a different crowd”.

 

Hancock added that the club would aim to attract “young professionals and students”.

 

Mr Hancock is an experienced venues operator, having managed  another large club in Leeds, chaired Leeds City Pub Watch and been a member of BACIL (Business Against Crime In Leeds).

 

Police representatives, who called for the review on public safety grounds, wrote to the committee saying they felt it would be “appropriate and proportionate” that the licence be transferred with the “addition of three new conditions”.

 

The conditions include that the club will not trade under the name of ‘Fire’, ‘Fruit Cupboard’ or ‘Puro’. Secondly, that those previously holding managerial roles at the premises would not be involved in any way whatsoever with the future running of the business. Thirdly, that a review of the CCTV system will be undertaken in consultation with the police.

 

After considering the proposed ideas for the venue and the view of the police, the committee agreed to transfer the licence to the new owners.  The new management told Leeds Student that the club would re-open in mid November under the new name ‘The Back Room’.