Council rejects police calls to cut club's hours

A NIGHTCLUB escaped having its operating hours cut after police called for a review of its licence.

Bosses from Mantra faced members of the Royal Borough's licensing committee on Thursday (November 19) after police presented a catalogue of incidents they were called out to.

Mangers from the club in The Arches, in Goswell Hill, defended the venue saying many of the incidents happened in the street and could have originated in other night spots.

A police document presented to the licensing committee gave several examples of trouble, including arrests for actual bodily harm, a promoter assaulting a police officer and drunken behaviour in Windsor town centre which they attributed to Mantra.

Barrister Leo Charalambides, appearing for Mantra, told the committee that 18 of the incidents presented were in the street and only three occurred inside the club, within an 18 month period.

Police also complained about the quality of CCTV pictures and found staff did not know how to operate the system.

The committee rejected police requests to cut the licensing hours from 3am to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays and to limit last entry to midnight. They also rejected calls for plastic glasses and bottles only to be used.

However, the club was told to install a better CCTV system and to have a minimum of six door staff on duty after 8pm. Managers will also have to give police 14 days notice of any events planned at the club.

Mantra owner Will Wellington said after the meeting he was relieved that the licensing hours were not cut.

He said: "We have been working really well with the police, the committee have agreed and we will carry on working with police."