The licensee of Fat Sam’s nightclub in Dundee says he is “gutted” after police concerns led to his hopes of extended opening hours being rejected.
As we reported, Fat Sam’s, the biggest club in the city, had applied to Dundee City Council’s licensing board for an extension to opening hours that would see it close at 4.30am on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights an additional two hours per night.
But members of the board refused the application following a plea from Chief Inspector Dave Barclay, who said at least four extra officers would be required to deal with any extension.
Asked how the proposals would affect policing in the area, Mr Barclay said, “We would need a minimum of four additional officers but potentially up to six. That would have a knock-on effect in areas like Lochee, Broughty Ferry, Whitfield and St Mary’s and they would suffer because of the transfer of police resources.
“These officers would have to be brought into the town to cope with the thousands of people coming out of the clubs and on to the streets and that would mean we couldn’t police outlying areas properly.”It would have an impact on crime prevention and community safety.
“Mr Rattray (the licensee, Colin Rattray) runs an excellent establishment but we would have to redraw working arrangements and that would have an impact on Dundee.”
Mr Rattray had hoped to sell alcohol at Fat Sam’s until closing time and claimed a new food service would help to counteract the effects of the alcohol sold. Mr Rattray’s solicitor, Archie McIver, also argued longer opening hours would lead to a more gradual exit of clubbers as opposed to the traditional clear-out at closing time.
He told the board, “The chief constable’s fears are predicated on an extra 300 people coming into the city but these people are already there and are already being policed. If you grant the application the sale of alcohol is ancillary to the sale of food, surely that will have a beneficial effect on alcohol these people will have consumed?
“We are sympathetic to the stresses and strains of the police service but it would be to the benefit not the detriment of police.”
It was the view of the police that won the overwhelming majority of board members, however, with the application being refused by six votes to two.
Councillor Elizabeth Fordyce, who put forward the motion for refusal, said allowing the change would “set a precedent” for other nightclubs in the area.
Afterwards, Mr Rattray said, “I’m gutted. They have extended the hours of public houses to 2.30am and casinos until 6am that means everyone in the trade is advancing in on the nightclub’s hours while we’re being held back.
“We have to change the way the business operates so I’ll look at this application again.”