Middlesbrough Empire could appeal decision to suspend its licence

It's thought the Middlesbrough Empire will appeal a decision to suspend it's licence - as it plans to host events over the next 2 months.

The council last week decided to suspend the venue's licence for 4 weeks.

The Middlesbrough Empire will continue to host events in October and November prompting speculation it will appeal its licence suspension.

However, the Corporation Road club has 21 days to appeal the ruling and if it decides to do so it will be able to continue trading until the appeal is heard at Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

It is understood that the club’s planned events in October and November, including a Halloween party on Monday, October 31, will go ahead. It is expected that this would fall under the suspension period if the club decided not to appeal, which suggests the club’s owners will attempt to overturn the council’s decision.

A Facebook post about the Halloween event reads: “October is coming and the resurrection is upon us as we prepare to awaken the lost heroes, the devilish glitterati and multi-coloured shadowed souls, the disco voodoos, dead-beat musicians, magicians, superstitions and dancefloor physicians. We will all be one.”

Empire bosses attended a two-day hearing earlier this month after Cleveland Police triggered a review of its licence. The move came after two violent incidents were linked to under 18s.

Three boys, one aged 15 and two aged 16, were arrested after a 19-year-old clubgoer was stabbed in the back in the early hours of Sunday, May 1. The victim’s mum said the experience was traumatising and said the club could have been a murder scene.

At the hearing, barrister Duncan Craig, representing The Empire, said it was a terrible incident but the club had taken a number of steps to improve since. Empire owner Ashley Wem has previously apologised for the attack but added that the safety of people attending the late-night venue was always at the forefront of his mind.

In a separate incident, an underage drinker was also hit in the face after getting into a fight on April 4. However, it was not just clubbers who were violent – one of the door staff was sacked after they forced a man to the floor and punched him in the face, cutting his cheek and giving him a black eye.

Since the Empire reopened after the covid lockdown, 14 bouncers have been sacked. During the licensing hearing, one Empire boss, who has been with the club for 25 years, said a lot of the new recruits were not up for the role and were like “rabbits in headlights” before adding that the team in place now could do the job.

As well as a four-week closure, the council panel also introduced new licence conditions. This could see bouncers wearing body cameras and the introduction of a knife arch if the changes are not overturned.

Middlesbrough Empire declined to comment.