Dundee could be left without any major nightclubs next year as a result of decisions made by the city’s licensing board, a prominent publican and nightclub owner says.
Jimmy Marr, of Park Leisure, who owns Deja Vu nightclub along with several pubs across the city, says he will “definitely pull the plug” on the Cowgate club in the new year unless the licensing board takes steps to help the situation.
Mr Marr says the other two large-scale clubs, Fat Sams and Liquid, are also struggling to attract customers through their doors due to there not being a “level playing field”.
Deja Vu only operates on Fridays and Saturdays, Fat Sams is open for just four hours a week on one night (Saturdays) and Liquid on a Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and Mr Marr blames the “dire” situation on decisions made by the licensing committee over the past few years which, he says, have allowed the nightclub trade to be largely taken over by late-opening pubs and the casino.
In addition, he said, the final straw was the recent “over-provision” decision by the board, which means pubs, clubs and off-licences will now have to prove to councillors that there aren’t too many licensed premises in the city when they make new applications, which will force many investors out of the city and dissuade out-of-town businesses from investing in Dundee.
Pointing to a list of more than 30 premises which he says have either closed for good or are currently not trading, he says councillors should have made the distinction between on and off sales before introducing their blanket policy for the city, with the exception of the waterfront.
Mr Marr says that decision comes on the back of the change in the licensing hours policy to pubs and “hybrid” pubs in the city.
The new policy now allows venues providing musical entertainment to open until 2am, while non-music pubs can stay open until 1am.
With the G Casino able to sell alcohol until 6am, with free entry, clubs are struggling to attract customers.
Mr Marr, whose application for a 6am licence for Deja Vu will be considered by the licensing board on Thursday September 25, said: “They have totally distorted the trading differential between clubs and pubs. We’re only able to open an hour later than pubs now. It used to be two and a half hours so who’s going to pay for that?
“It doesn’t take a genius to work out that you can’t make enough money to keep operating at this level. Come January, I might have to shut the doors of Deja Vu.
“And if there’s an over-provision then the councillors have created that by allowing all these late licences for pubs.
“In terms of over-provision, it’s scaring off potential big-scale investors unless they choose the waterfront.”
Licensing board convener David Bowes said: “It’s true that the waterfront is exempt. I voted to keep the city centre exempt from the over-provision policy as well, however I was out-voted and that’s democracy, so I accept that.
“I do feel for what Mr Marr is saying. It is unfortunate but we can’t take commercial issues into consideration when we are considering licence applications. We’re just not allowed to.”