A CITY centre building will be allowed to re-open as a nightclub, but with a much earlier closing time.

A Bradford Council Licensing Committee was yesterday told by police of numerous incidents of crime and disorder linked to Tipple Nightclub on Barry Street.

The Committee was told that the club, which has been shut since the end of July, had seen overcrowding, violent disorder and even an incident involving the stabbing of door staff.

At the meeting, one of the building’s owners, Mohammed Mansha, said they had terminated the tenancy agreement with Tipple, but wanted to retain a premises license for the building so they could let it to another business.

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Police who attended the meeting said they were happy for this to happen as long as the venue didn’t become “Tipple mark 2.”

The club, which had a license to open until 6am, was run by Tipple Entertainment Limited. Nobody from that company attended yesterday’s meeting.

Police raised concerns about Bradford club linked to 'numerous incidents of crime and disorder'

Police said they were confident that as landlord of the building Mr Mansha bore little responsibility for the failings of his former tenants Tipple. They agreed that the licence could be altered to allow his business to be the licensee and for any new club to shut at 2am.

At the time the club shut a message to customers was posted on Tipple’s Facebook page saying the business had been “spoilt by those that go out in Bradford looking for trouble.”

A letter from West Yorkshire Police’s licensing officers to Bradford Council calling for a review said: “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.

“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.”

Andrew Garthwaite, solicitor for the police, told the meeting that incidents arising from the club’s operation: “caused great disruption and strain of police, Council and emergency service resources.”

He added: “It is fair to say the operators running Tipple were not fit for purpose.”

At the meeting Mr Mansha referred to the police report and said: “There is nothing in this report that I’d want to defend. It really is indefensible. Everything in here is shocking.”

He said he had trusted the business to be responsible licence holders, adding that they made “promise after promise” about the nightclub.

He said he was surprised police had shown so much restraint in dealing with Tipple, saying: “Police gave the company every opportunity to get their house in order. Unfortunately they were not able to for whatever reasons.”

The committee agreed to the new licence, which allows any new bar operating from the venue to open until 2am.