Noisy nightclub Studio 24 loses licence

Published on Tuesday 26 May 2009 10:21

A PROMINENT Edinburgh nightclub which runs under-18 events has had its licence suspended after police were called more than 40 times in the space of a year.

The city's licensing board unanimously voted to take the action against Studio 24 in the wake of a string of complaints about noise and under-age revellers.

The Calton Road club has been officially closed down until at least the end of August. However, bosses are set to appeal the ruling, allowing it to continue to operate in the meantime.

Councillors were told yesterday how in one incident pupils from Barnton's Royal High School hired the venue for a Hallowe'en party after telling club owners that teachers would be attending.

The club's bar was open for the first hour until it became apparent the event was not sanctioned by the school and around 50 teenagers were later refused entry after failing "breathalyser" tests.

A council licensing official present at the party also reported seeing revellers leaving Studio 24 covered in blood, although club bosses pointed out this was part of their fancy dress costume.

Other concerns raised by the council's licensing standards officers over the last 18 months include a poor attitude from door staff, lax controls on searching revellers and poor stewarding of under-18 events at the club.

Officials also received a number of complaints about noise from residents of nearby flats built around the 25-year-old club in recent years. This is despite club bosses locking away its amplifiers so only management have access to the volume controls.

Licensing convener Marjorie Thomas revealed the suspension would have been longer had it not been for the fact the club's licence was up for renewal in August.

Tom Stirling, an environmental protection manager for the council, said: "In addition to the noise complaints, there are issues with under-age events, and the attitude of door staff towards our licensing standards officers.

"There does seem to be a reoccurring theme with these premises where action is taken, things are okay for a short time and then the problems reoccur."

Police chiefs revealed there had been 40 incidents in the last year, more than half of which related to under-age events, though only five were deemed serious.

Councillor Alistair Paisley told the club operators: "It appears that it is only when there is any danger to your licence that you seem to pick up your game.

"The licensing standards officers are there to help the licence trade and any trouble they have received for doing their work is simply an abomination."

Councillor Norman Work added: "This has been going on for some time now, I thought it was just a noise issue but it seems there is more to it than that."

In 2006, Studio 24 was forced to spend 40,000 soundproofing its premises to stay open after more than 1,500 city clubbers backed a campaign to save the nightspot.

Neighbours – who live in homes built adjacent to the club over the last four years – said they were being kept awake by antisocial behaviour from revellers.

Gillian McArthur, whose family owns and runs Studio 24, said: "We have taken a lot of steps to try and deal with the issues raised.

"As a result of the Royal High incident we have stopped taking private bookings and I would like to apologise for the attitude of our door staff to the council staff.

"But we have not had a serious incident in the club for over 12 years.

The people who come to our club know they are safe."