Nightclub licence is up for review after disturbance

The licence for Jokers nightclub in Ipswich Street, Stowmarket, is to be looked at by the three members of Mid Suffolk District Council’s Licensing Panel at a hearing today.

The superintendent of the Western Area of Suffolk Police made an application to the authority for an “expedited review” of the club’s licence following the “serious disturbance” in the early hours of August 15.

One person was seriously injured during the incident although nobody has been charged by police.

On August 20 the licensing panel considered what interim steps needed to be taken pending a full review of the licence.

The club’s legal team objected to the interim steps and made representations at a meeting on August 25 but the panel decided that they were “necessary and proportionate” and would remain in place pending the full review, to be heard today.

The panel will reconvene at 10am at the council offices in Needham Market to hold the full review and will again hear from the club owners and the police.

The three members, councillors Ray Melvin, Diana Kearsley and Derek Osborne, will decide whether the interim steps should remain on the licence for good, as has been recommended

These include using plastic cups at all times, a ban on serving glass bottles and the maintenance of a register on the premises detailing all refusals of entry and the reasons for refusal.

Other conditions include the use of either the Town Link radio network or the 999 service to report all instances of people being ejected at the time or as soon after as possible.

The panel will also determine whether all security staff should be “easily identifiable” at all times through the use of distinctive clothing, whether it should stop selling alcohol at 2am instead of 3am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and whether the club should be closed by 2.30am on these nights.

Last night no one from the club was available for comment.