Notorious club shut by council after spate of violent incidents
The Vintage, a nightclub with a long history of trouble on Fulham Broadway has been closed following a night of violence that included a mass brawl and a drinker intentionally run over.
Hammersmith & Fulham Council says it has taken the unusual action of temporarily shutting The Vintage, opposite Fulham Broadway shopping centre, after a spate of terrifying incidents.
In past years the club, then called Chateau 6 has been the scene of a murder and of violence between football supporters.
The council says it will now be holding a full licence review this month and has a number of options open to it, including removing the designated premises supervisor or revoking the licence.
The most recent incident took place in the early hours of Sunday, June 17, when police were called to a fight involving up to 40 people outside the premises.
During the melee, one man was hit by a vehicle driven by a male who had been involved in the fight and another was taken to hospital after being struck just above the eye. There were two similar occurrences in May, one of which involved a man knocked unconscious and robbed inside the bar.
Cllr Greg Smith, deputy leader and cabinet member for residents’ services said: "We have seen some quite appalling acts of violence committed both inside and directly outside The Vintage, with people fighting in the streets and acting like downright thugs.
"On the advice of the police, the council has taken this action as we have a duty to act in the best interests of law-abiding local residents. There is no place for mindless hooliganism on the streets of Hammersmith & Fulham and we will work side-by-side with the police to make the borough as safe as possible."
Operations Superintendent Peter Clilverd said: "We have an excellent relationship with the local authority and will continue to take a zero tolerance approach to people who commit crime on the streets of Hammersmith & Fulham."
When it was using the name Chateau 6, the club became notorious in July 2007, when James Oyebola was shot through the back of the neck after asking customers to put out cigarettes. Gunman Kanyanya Mulenga was convicted of the murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2008.
After the shooting, several stringent condition were put on the premises' licence, and in 2010, its licence was temporarily suspended following violence between Chelsea and Cardiff City football supporters.
February 25, 2010
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