The discredited owner of a nightclub which was closed following strong police warnings is “unlikely” to be granted another licence in Luton, Luton Borough Council has confirmed.
Bling nightclub, on Church Street, had its licence revoked last Monday after a council committee heard the club’s owner Deborah Jefferies had lost control of the premises due to financial mismanagement and has since “involved members of a recognised organised crime group” in its running.
Since the club’s opening in May a number of staff members and contractors have complained to Ms Jefferies over unpaid wages and invoices, holding protests outside Bling on event nights.
It has since been revealed that a week before the hearing Ms Jefferies registered a new business name, Ikon Nightclub, at the same address with the apparent intention to reopen the club under a changed title. However the council has indicated that this would be a long shot.
A spokesperson told the Luton News: “For any licence application where the owner of Bling is identified as the applicant, the council would expect representations from the police about the same issues that resulted in the revocation of the current licence.
“On that basis, any application would be determined by the licensing sub-committee and, given the situation relating to Bling, it is unlikely such an application would be successful.”
The situation would not prevent another person from applying for a licence, a bid that would be “assessed on its own merits”.
Ms Jefferies has until December 8 to appeal the initial decision to revoke Bling nightclub’s licence.