Met Police identifies Heaven nightclub as Westminster’s top crime generator

Police representatives informed the committee responsible for the decision to close Heaven, a well-known London nightclub, that it constitutes the largest source of crime in Westminster. On Friday, Westminster Council suspended the club’s licence for a period of 28 days. This action followed a report from 1 November detailing a woman’s rape by a security staff member employed at the venue. The Met Police, having sought the licence suspension, confirmed that an individual had been arrested, charged with rape, and was currently held on remand in prison. During the initial hearing on Friday, Heaven’s owner expressed that closing the venue for 28 days would lead to the club’s demise, stating it “would not survive”. A spokesperson for the Met Police informed Westminster’s licensing sub-committee, stating: “This nightclub… it’s the highest crime generator in the borough, in the number of incidents reported to the police.” Regarding sexual assaults, 16 reports have been made to the police within the last six months. He further stated that the Met Police received a total of 109 crime reports related to the nightclub over the past six months. Jeremy Joseph, the owner of the club situated off Villiers Street, informed the meeting that the reason for its classification as the highest crime generator was because “we’re told we have to report absolutely everything”. He further added that “We’re the largest venue” in Westminster, highlighting the club’s total capacity of 1,725 people. The Met Police observed that all venues are instructed to “report absolutely everything”. Mr. Joseph also conveyed to the committee that “Heaven will not survive” a 28-day licence suspension. He stated: “Heaven is fighting for its life at the moment.” He added: “I have a responsibility to over 80 staff who we employ, who will be out of work if you close us.” He mentioned that the club’s landlord was attempting to raise its rent by £32,000 annually and noted that clubbers’ spending per head had decreased during the cost of living crisis. Mr. Joseph further stated: “Heaven has been my life for over 30 years and since Covid, all I’ve done is try to fight to survive.” It was stated at the hearing that when the woman attempted to report the attack, other staff members allegedly disregarded her. A council spokesperson stated that the licence suspension was “necessary to prevent serious crime and protect the public”. They added: “A full licensing hearing will be held in December where both the police and venue management will have the opportunity to present new evidence.” The spokesperson concluded: “This case is currently subject of an ongoing police investigation, and we are unable to comment further at this stage.” Heaven’s owner has been contacted for comment.