Event application withdrawn after police concerns

An application for a planned music event in Wolverhampton has been withdrawn after police expressed security concerns.

The owner of North Street Social, Johnny Jones, had applied for permission for an open-air DJ event on 26 July in the area around his bar.

Mr Jones had said the Freakz Street Social event would have a "carefully managed audience cap", and attendees would be subject to bag and ID checks, but West Midlands Police called for tougher security restrictions.

City of Wolverhampton Council confirmed this week that Mr Jones had withdrawn the application, leading to the cancellation of the scheduled licensing committee meeting.

The application for a Temporary Event Notice was for alcohol sales and music outside the bar's existing indoor licence area, taking in the neighbouring cul-de-sac Blossom's Fold.

However, West Midlands Police said the proposed security checks were inadequate, arguing for "thorough body and bag searches" for each person attending the event.

The initially proposed audience cap of 300, described by police as "vast" for the area, was reduced to 180 after mediation with environmental health officers who then dropped their own objection.

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