'Feared' Leicester dance club Bombay Nights has hours cut
- Published
A "feared" exotic dance club has had its hours cut over reports of violence and disorder.
Eight incidents at Bombay Nights Dance Bar, on Belgrave Road, Leicester, had been reported to police between April and December last year.
At a meeting, Leicester City Council heard there was "fear of the club" from families living nearby.
Club owner Vijay Chabra said he was "not happy" with the decision and was seeking legal advice.
Bombay Nights, which converted from a restaurant last April, had been open daily to the public until 04:00.
The council's licensing sub-committee heard residents' statements that they had been "confronted with drunk people" coming from the club at night and in the early hours, causing anti-social behaviour and nuisance.
As well as noise and fights, one resident, who was not named, said she had seen club customers "urinate, smoke, drink and leave rubbish and glass" at a nearby park her daughter plays in.
Mass brawls
PC Martin Rawlings, who works in the area, said: "Residents are in fear of reporting, in particular the old and frail... [and] fear repercussions from the club.
"I am very concerned the management have no regard for the general public, the community and their neighbours."
A report to the committee said incidents included assaults, mass brawls and other public order offences.
Despite solicitors for the club saying action had been taken, including extra CCTV, the committee agreed to reduce its opening hours to midnight from Monday to Thursday, 02:00 on Friday and Saturday, and 23:00 on Sunday.
Mr Chabra said: "The police could not prove any of the problems were related to the bar.
"There are anti-social problems all over the city, why blame this on us?"
Leicestershire Police licensing officer David Braithwaite said he was pleased with the outcome, adding he would work with the premises to "support them with licensing objectives".
