POLICE raised serious concerns over the running of a city centre nightclub after incidents including a stabbing and alleged sexual assaults.

West Yorkshire Police say that over a seven month period there were a string of incidents at Tipple Bar on Barry Street.

A panel of Councillors will hear that complaints included the stabbing of door staff, numerous assaults, allegations of serious sexual assaults, and public order offences. The club was known to often operate outside of its licensed hours, and there were incidents where clubbers blocked traffic on Barry Street.

The club shut in late July when the owners of the building terminated the tenancy agreement held with Tipple Entertainment Limited. At the time a message to customers on the club’s Facebook page saying the business had been “spoilt by those that go out in Bradford looking for trouble.”

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Next Wednesday members of Bradford Council’s District Licensing Panel will meet to review the licence that currently exists for the business. They will be told there have been “numerous incidents of crime and disorder” linked to the bar.

Tipple Bar opened two years ago in the former Campbells Sports Bar building, and quickly became a popular venue in the city’s nightlife. But a letter from West Yorkshire Police’s licensing officers says there were “many occasions” the club was overcrowded. The force called for a licence review in early July, a few weeks before the business shut its doors.

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Tipple was licensed to open until 6am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, to 3am on Monday to Wednesday and 4am on Sunday. The existing licence for the business council could be transferred to another party.

The police submission says: “Since January there has been numerous incidents of crime and disorder linked to Tipple Bar which includes the stabbing of door staff, allegations of serious sexual assaults, numerous assaults, affrays and public order occurrences. There have also been incidents of breaches of licensing conditions and operating outside of authorised opening hours.

“There have been many occasions where there has been overcrowding at the premises. This has led to an increased risk of violence and/or has compromised the safety of people in the premises. There have been occasions where the lack of management of customers inside and outside has led to concerns over their safety. In addition there have been numerous reports of customers being hurt or injured in the licensed premises or in its immediate vicinity, including staff.

“The premises are located on a major route out of the city centre. There have been countless incidents of the road being blocked due to customers spilling out onto the highway or from vehicles stopping to collect/engage with patrons. This presents not only a nuisance but a danger to the public.”

When Tipple closed the post on the company’s Facebook page said: “Thank you to all those that loved Tipple, came and supported us over two years, it’s been a good run, unfortunately spoilt by those that go out in Bradford looking for trouble and can’t respect a place and what we were trying to do.”

The panel meets in City Hall on Wednesday September 4 at 2pm.

POLICE raised serious concerns over the running of a city centre nightclub after incidents including a stabbing and alleged sexual assaults.

West Yorkshire Police say that over a seven month period there were a string of incidents at Tipple Bar on Barry Street.

A panel of Councillors will hear that complaints included the stabbing of door staff, numerous assaults, allegations of serious sexual assaults, and public order offences. The club was known to often operate outside of its licensed hours, and there were incidents where clubbers blocked traffic on Barry Street.

The club shut in late July when the owners of the building terminated the tenancy agreement held with Tipple Entertainment Limited. At the time a message to customers on the club's Facebook page saying the business had been "spoilt by those that go out in Bradford looking for trouble."

Next Wednesday members of Bradford Council's District Licensing Panel will meet to review the licence that currently exists for the business. They will be told there have been "numerous incidents of crime and disorder" linked to the bar.

Tipple Bar opened two years ago in the former Campbells Sports Bar building, and quickly became a popular venue in the city's nightlife. But a letter from West Yorkshire Police's licensing officers says there were "many occasions" the club was overcrowded. The force called for a licence review in early July, a few weeks before the business shut its doors.

Tipple was licensed to open until 6am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, to 3am on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and 4am on Sunday. The existing premise licence for the business council could be transferred to another party.

The submission from police says: "Since January 2019 there has been numerous incidents of crime and disorder linked to Tipple Bar which includes the stabbing of door staff, allegations of serious sexual assaults, numerous assaults, affrays and public order occurrences. There have also been incidents of breaches of licensing conditions and operating outside of authorised opening hours.

"There have been many occasions where there has been overcrowding at the premises. This has led to an increased risk of violence and/or has compromised the safety of people in the premises. There have been occasions where the lack of management of customers inside and outside has led to concerns over their safety. In addition there have been numerous reports of customers being hurt or injured in the licensed premises or in its immediate vicinity, including staff.

"The premises are located on a major route out of the city centre. There have been countless incidents of the road being blocked due to customers spilling out onto the highway or from vehicles stopping to collect/engage with patrons. This presents not only a nuisance but a danger to the public."

When Tipple closed the post on the company’s Facebook page said: “Thank you to all those that loved Tipple, came and supported us over two years, it’s been a good run, unfortunately spoilt by those that go out in Bradford looking for trouble and can’t respect a place and what we were trying to do.”

The panel meets in City Hall on Wednesday September 4 at 2pm.

The Telegraph & Argus has been unable to contact Tipple Entertainment Limited.