Police call for Weston nightclub to lose licence
The venue is thought to have links to organised crime on top of other issues
Last updated 9th Jan 2023
A nightclub in Weston-super-Mare could lose its licence after several alleged incidents including sexual assault, an underage person being served alcohol and suspected links to organised crime.
On one occasion, Avon and Somerset Police say a bouncer was caught having sex in the toilets at Club Freelove.
The venue opened on Weston-super-Mare’s Boulevard in July 2021.
It planned to include a mocktail bar for people who would be driving and to open some daytimes in the week to provide free lunches to elderly people.
However, a year and a half after opening the police are calling on North Somerset Council to strip Club Freelove of its licence.
The issue will be decided at a licensing hearing this Thursday (January 12).
In their application to review the licence, the police allege a series of incidents over the year and a half that the club has been open.
In late 2022, the club was booked out one night for an 18th birthday party which included guests under the age of 18.
In a witness statement, the parent who booked the venue said that, despite being told under 18s would be identified with armbands and not sold alcohol, no armbands were handed out and alcohol was sold without ages being checked.
A girl younger than 16 was filmed being able to buy alcohol and it is also claimed that shots were handed out on the dancefloor.
Staff at Club Freelove say age checks were carried out.
One guest went into the ladies’ bathroom and found one of the bouncers having sex, the parent added.
They said that, with no bouncer on the door, some members of the public who were not part of the 18th birthday party were able to enter the club until the parent personally challenged them.
Police Sergeant Harper, the neighbourhood sergeant for Weston-super-Mare town centre and Ashcombe, said in their witness statement that they had spoken to someone from the club about their concerns about the people employed there.
Police Sergeant Harper said: “The person at the club stated she did not have a process that she used to employ people and she would employ people as she felt sorry for them and she hoped she could ‘change’ them and wanted to be a positive influence on others.
"She agreed this was not the best way to run her venue.”
The police also say there have also been incidents linked to organised crime at the club.
In March 2022, the police state that a man punched another individual in the club and then was stabbed when he went outside, injuring his arm.
The man stabbed refused to cooperate with the police and they believe the incident was related to organised crime.
Later that year in June, police said that a man in a stab-proof vest and carrying a metal pole went to Club Freelove.
He said: “Tell … to pay me my money or I’ll burn this place down and shoot it up with my AK47.”
He then drove off in a car connected to a gang member.
He was later arrested and plead guilty to possession of Class A drugs.
The police also referred to a sexual assault at the club.
They said they “had issues” obtaining the club’s CCTV footage of this until they threatened to seize the CCTV system.
Following a meeting with Police Licensing in November 2022, the premises licence holder for the venue removed the designated premises supervisor without a replacement — essentially, removing Club Freelove’s ability to sell alcohol until a supervisor is reappointed.
Police will be arguing, at the licensing hearing next week, that the venue’s premise licence should be completely revoked.
The hearing will take place before North Somerset Council’s licensing committee in Weston-super-Mare town hall on Thursday January 12.
We have contacted Club Freelove for comment.