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- Uropa still in the spotlight
THE NIGHTCLUB has a new name, new security staff and a
new licence. But it may still prove to be dogged by the
same problems that threw its predecessor into the media
spotlight.
Less than a year after the infamous Raquel's closed its
doors to the public, the new Club Uropa Essex has already
hit the headlines with allegations of drug dealing on
the premises. Reporters from a Sunday newspaper claimed
they bought £60 of Ecstasy tablets from youths inside
the former Raquel's last Saturday night just 10 days after
it re-opened.
Colin Ball, area manager for the company, said yesterday:
"I am obviously concerned about the allegations,
for two reasons. Firstly, because I have ultimate responsibility
for the club. Secondly, because I am the parent of a 21-year-old
boy and an 18-year-old girl."
He added: "It's easy to go into any nightclub premises
in the country and find something wrong. "For this
type of story to appear, is a big demotivator for me and
all the staff at the club who have worked alongside the
police for the last six months.
If these allegations are true, why didn't they report
it to the police? "If this really happened, then
they have a responsibility to tell police and give them
a description of the youths, so they can be identified
from our video tapes of the night.
"We have a very stringent security system at Club
Uropa, but it's difficult for us to stop the problem completely.
We search pockets, handbags, coats, etc, but we cannot
strip search everyone who comes through the door."
After the Leah Betts tragedy last year, the club bore
the brunt of media criticism and coverage on the issue.
Following Leah's collapse into a coma a flock of national
newspaper reporters converged on Basildon, all searching
for stories from what had become the most notorious nightclub
in Britain.
In November last year, Bernard King, a former head doorman
at Raquel's, sold a story to a national newspaper, alleging
that staff regularly allowed teenagers carrying Ecstasy
into the club. Mr King also accused the management of
discouraging staff from calling ambulances for collapsed
customers.
These latest allegations about drug dealing come as a
blow to European Leisure, the owners of the nightclub
since the mid-80's. They had their entertainment licence
renewed in October, without any objections from police
after pledging to stamp out drug pushing on their premises.
One of European Leisure's top managers, Keith Moore named
their manager of the year in 1995 was brought in, to take
over the troubled nightclub while his predecessor, David
Simms was transferred to another venue. With the new name,
it was hoped a new image would come.
European Leisure, one of Europe's leading leisure firms,
spent more than £300,000 on the relaunch, with an
improved state-of-the-art security system, new security
staff and a paramedic room for customers.
Police have contacted the newspaper concerned and are
waiting to see the Ecstasy tablets the reporters allege
to have bought. |
| Contact : bernard.omahoney@bernardomahoney.com |
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