Forest Gate club has opening hours reduced after crime fears

A Forest Gate club, which was shut down for a month over crime and disorder fears, has had its opening hours cut.

Police applied for a review of Club 19’s premises licence after officers were called in October to reports of a brawl involving up to 30 people outside the venue in Upton Lane. This led to the suspension of its licence.

Newham Council’s licensing sub-committee also attached strict conditions to the terms of its new licence.

Club 19 will now be allowed to open from 11pm to 2am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and midnight to 2am on Monday.

Licensee Yunusu Sengo was ordered to arrange for health and safety and fire inspections before being able to reopen to the public.

He will also have to inform police at least two weeks before any organised event.

The review hearing heard that the premises had been ‘virtually crime free’ in the previous 12 months, though police said this was because of limited opening hours.

Cllr Ian Corbett, executive member for environment and chairman of the sub-committee, said: “We are committed to creating a safer community and will not tolerate crime and antisocial behaviour in any form.

“We want pubs and clubs to have robust working practices that manage they way they operate so that they become better places.

“Those who operate pubs and clubs in accordance with the conditions of their licence have nothing to fear.”