A STALYBRIDGE venue has had its licence suspended pending a full review following an alleged violent incident.
Decades Heaven and Hell, on Market Street, may now have it permanently removed as it faces a hearing on Thursday, March 19.
Licensing chiefs heard police branded the premises ‘violent’ and ‘mismanaged’ and believed the suspension is the best course of action after an apparent assault in the early hours of Sunday, March 1.
Paperwork detailed how a male victim was left unconscious and supposedly needing CPR from an off-duty nurse after being placed in a headlock and thrown to the floor, where they were then hit several times, causing cuts to the face.
A suspect has been arrested on suspicion of inflicting grievous bodily harm, but it was told how the designated premises supervisor (DPS) Alex Tate was nowhere to be seen, while CCTV of the incident has been hard to come by.
A report from Greater Manchester Police’s licensing officer, PC Craig Foley, also detailed: “At 03:16, PC 07276 Scriven arrived at Decades and the male was still on the floor unconscious.
“The victim was taken to Tameside General Hospital to receive emergency treatment for his injuries.
“Attending police officers requested the CCTV footage. The DPS was not present and no-one on site could work the CCTV to show the officers the footage of the incident to allow them to progress the investigation.
“The investigating police officers have then sent a link for the nightclub to send the CCTV. This footage was not sent and only after many phone calls and wasted time did the footage get sent
“The footage was not what the officers asked for and only showed 2.59 minutes, when the officers asked for a longer piece.
“It was also not GDPR complaint and not the original footage, merely a recording of someone recording the footage on their mobile phone.
“This footage cannot be accepted as evidence in criminal court proceedings.”
A hearing of Tameside Council’s Speaker’s Panel (Liquor Licensing) committee on Wednesday, March 4, was also told staff at Decades Heaven and Hell had previously assured them CCCTV issues had been resolved.
PC Foley added Mr Tate explained: “I have also solved the CCTV mystery of why it keeps ending up with the time wrong.
“When some staff close up, they turn all the lights off via the fuse box switches and they are accidently switching the fuse off for the CCTV.
“So when it’s coming back on the times are wrong. I have already put measures in place to make sure this never happens again.”
PC Foley also pushed for the licence suspension as an appeal over a previous decision to reduce the venue’s opening hours is scheduled to be heard.
He added: “Decades appealed a panel hearings decision of reducing the operating hours after hearing a number of violent assaults had taken place at the nightclub.
“We have seen a consistent number of violent incidents taking place at the nightclub, a panel hearing to oppose a problematic DPS, a closure notice due to health and safety breaches.
“An appeal hearing was set to be heard on March 27 but I have serious concerns over the safety of members of the public attending this violent, mismanaged nightclub that is seen a number of DPS’s but still the same problems with same premises licence holder.
“There is a concern over the management of the premises and their capability to run a safe venue for members of the public to visit.”
Members of the committee sided with GMP’s request and decided to suspend Decades Heaven and Hell’s licence until a full review hearing on March 19.
Members of the public can make representations until March 17.