Nightclub to remain shut for five weeks after fight

James Aldridge
Local Democracy Reporting Service
LDRS Queues and smokers outside the Cocktail Club and Gun Street Garden in Gun Street on a Friday night in Reading town centreLDRS
Gun Street Garden will remain shut until 17 July

A nightclub will remain shut for five weeks after a fight required a large police presence.

The Gun Street Garden, in Reading town centre, is a late-night venue hosting DJs, musicians, professional dancers and bottle service to guests.

Its licence was suspended by Reading Borough Council after two alleged incidents that occurred during its Playboy Mansion event on Easter Sunday.

In February last year the club also had its licence suspended after evidence of cocaine was discovered at the venue.

The first recent incident was at 02:00 BST, which allegedly involved a man throwing a hard plastic glass and punching a woman.

While the second was at 03.07, and was reported as a public disorder that required a large police presence.

A statutory consultation saw support for the venue, one customer said: "I feel safe when attending on a typical night", with another adding: "Everyone working there is always on high attention and alert to what is happening within the club."

The venue also received support from councillor Imtiyaz Shaikh, Mayor of Swindon, who said the club operators also run a venue in his town that positively contributes to its cultural and social scene.

The owners said they agreed to implement new conditions in an effort to meet the concerns raised by police.

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