Aberdeen nightclub Nox almost had its plans for a student party ruined after claims Easter was not a significant enough reason for extra celebrations.
The Justice Mill Lane venue had applied to Aberdeen City Council asking for an extra hour for an Easter party this weekend.
Police Scotland had objected to the application, which was considered by the local authority’s licensing board yesterday.
Sergeant Neil Grant attended the meeting and noted there were some issues with anti-social behaviour following recent St Patrick’s Day events.
He said: “With late hour premises, there is a significant amount of disorder and violence that peaks around midnight to closing times.
“What’s the purpose of it? There’s an event on but it will provide an extra hour of drinking.
“Chances of disorder are increased, putting a demand on the NHS, emergency services and the police.”
Is Easter of national significance?
Board convener, councillor Neil Copland, said he had “some concerns” about the event and urged the committee to refuse the proposal.
Despite the board previously granting extended licences for St Patrick’s Day and even the Super Bowl, he took issue with approving the Easter plan.
He said: “Normally extensions are for an event of local or national significance and I don’t think Easter is quite frankly, it happens every year.
“Being a holiday weekend, that adds to pressures on the police.”
Special events needed to keep Aberdeen venues alive
Licensing solicitor Lynn Simpson spoke at the meeting on behalf of Nox and argued the case for the extended licence.
“I’m struggling to get my head around the fact that the Easter weekend across the country is not a national event of significance,” she said.
Ms Simpson noted Easter would be a busy time, but suggested the police should have anticipated that and found extra staff to cover the weekend.
She also pleaded with the board to grant the application as it would help save the popular nightspot from closure.
Ms Simpson explained: “These types of premises were extremely badly hit by the pandemic and having to be closed for so long.
“To keep the venue alive, they need to run events like this and it is just that one extra hour.
“Being able to get people to come in, that’s what helps these events run otherwise we are going to lose these premises completely.”
‘It’s about the social interaction more than drinking alcohol’
However councillor Marie Boulton argued that Easter was nationally important and called for the extra hour to be approved.
She said: “This is a student-led promotion for Easter, it’s the holiday weekend, our young people will enjoy dressing up and having fun.
“In the last hour people aren’t necessarily drinking, it’s more about extending dancing and chatting with their friends.
“It’s about the social interaction more than drinking alcohol.”
After going to a vote, the application was narrowly granted by four to three.
Nox to open later over May Day Weekend
Meanwhile, the nightclub also received permission to extend its opening hours over the May Day weekend.
The venue will now open until 3am on Monday, May 1.
The club is hoping to bring a famous DJ up from London to the city for the special event.
You can watch the discussion here.
Prime goes behind the bar as Aberdeen nightclub Nox sells ‘Prime Bomb’ shots for £6.45
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