A nightclub owner has predicted the demise of many of Dundee’s nightclubs after his bid to stay open until 6am was refused.
Jimmy Marr made the comments after his application to extend the opening hours of Dj Vu was by Dundee City Council’s Licensing Board on Thursday.
Mr Marr, whose company Marr Park and Leisure owns a number of businesses in the city, said: “I am very disappointed with the board’s decision but I did expect it.
“Between them, the police and the licensing board are making it very difficult for nightclubs to operate in Dundee.
“If they keep going with this policy I predict that within the next six to nine months more nightclubs in this city will be forced to close.”
Concerns about an overprovision of alcohol in Dundee as well as objections from Police Scotland about a potential rise in anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related crime all counted against the nightclub.
A police representative spoke of 18 incidents in the area around the club since the end of July, including assault, drugs offences and breaches of the peace.
He pointed out that most of these were properly reported by door staff, which he said was positive, and he also said the number of incidents outside Dj Vu were much the same as other city nightclubs.
Miss Crighton, agent for Dj Vu, said nightclubs were: “Damned if we do and damned if we don’t. If staff report incidents quite properly, it can be used against the applicant at a later date”. She also pointed out that in the 15 years Dj Vu has been open there have been no noise complaints as the club has few neighbours.
Dundee’s casino, which has a 6am licence under gambling regulations, was described as the ‘elephant in the room’ which Miss Crighton said, along with later licences granted for pubs, was leaving nightclubs feeling squeezed.
She said: “The survival of nightlcubs is also so important for the city and it is important for the people of the city to have an element of choice if they choose to drink until 6am.”
Mr Marr appeared before the board along with his agent to make the case for the 6am licence but it failed to convince councillors.
He asked councillors to give people an alternative to the casino and to allow Dj Vu to compete on a ‘level playing field’.
Despite his pleas however, councillors on the board, who have no say on the casino’s gambling licence, said the club has failed to argue why it should be an exception to the rules.
They voted unanimously to refuse the 6am extension.