County's 'worst venue' denied permission to reopen

A nightclub described as a county's "worst venue" has had its request to reopen denied over security concerns.

Bar 1 in Consett, County Durham, was closed in December last year after two people were stabbed.

Lisa Cowey, who previously worked at the bar, wished to run the club as its new licence holder and had promised to prioritise security.

But Durham County Council refused the application and said she did not have enough experience to run the problematic venue.

Bar 1 reopened in February after staff appealed against the closure decision and introduced ID scanners and body searches.

Durham Police solicitor Paul Clark said in the six months after the licence was revoked, and before the appeal was heard, there were "further violent incidents including a significant bar brawl where weapons were used".

Sgt Carline Dickenson said: "It probably is the worst venue in County Durham that I have had to deal with."

Mr Clark said the bar was the "epicentre" of Consett's problematic night-time economy.

It was shut again in July after the court upheld the council's closure decision, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Mr Clarke said Ms Cowey seemed "distrusting of the police" and had never held a licence before.

Council licensing enforcement officer Nicola Anderson also raised concerns about Ms Cowey's "close family links to the previous licence holder".

Ms Cowey's solicitor, Matt Foster, said "aside from a familial connection" there was no link between his client and the previous owners.

"The applicant has tried a working partnership with the police, she has experience managing premises, she is not in partnership with anyone else, and she’s offered a robust set of conditions," he said.

He called on the committee to "consider the application on its individual merit".

Refusing the application, licensing committee member Liz Brown said she was not satisfied there was "sufficient distance" between Ms Cowey and the influence of the previous owners.

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