Wolverhampton Venue’s Licence Under Review Following Disorder and Taser-Equipped Police Response

The management of a city venue, which saw police officers equipped with Tasers respond urgently to disorder at multiple events, faces accusations of demonstrating “total disregard” for its operating licence. The Astoria, located on Skinner Street in Wolverhampton, is scheduled for a licence review by the City of Wolverhampton Council. This review was initiated by West Midlands Police (WMP) due to concerns regarding the venue’s event management practices. Additionally, West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) has expressed worries, stating that the venue’s owners had “failed on numerous occasions to adequately promote fire safety”. A licensing hearing is set for Tuesday, where the 700-capacity establishment could face either the suspension or complete revocation of its licence. The BBC has reached out to the venue for comment prior to the upcoming meeting. WMP stated that the venue has also jeopardized public safety by holding events without prior notification to the police. The police force reported that multiple events hosted at The Astoria led to disturbances that necessitated an “urgent” response from officers. “The premises have been advertising and holding events at the location and failing to inform [us] of these events,” WMP commented. “There is a specific condition that was placed upon the licence to ensure that this was complied with. “Both the licence holder and designed premises supervisor are fully aware of the existence of this condition and the requirement for compliance.” The force indicated that officers were sent to the club multiple times when disturbances occurred during events. “[They resulted in deployment] of urgent additional police resources, including officers equipped with Tasers,” the statement added. The council has leveled accusations against licence holder Glen Tarplee and supervisor Kirsty Allen, citing “total disregard” for their licence conditions due to their failure to maintain contact with the police. Furthermore, requests for CCTV footage were not processed promptly, as noted by the council in a report preceding the hearing. WMFS reported that Mr. Tarplee had entered into an agreement with the service in 2023, committing to ensure specific work was completed before the new venue’s opening. Nevertheless, despite subsequent reminders, the establishment commenced operations without receiving approval that the required work had been finalized, according to the report. WMFS also indicated that it had recently received a complaint alleging that The Astoria’s fire alarm system exhibited “multiple faults” and that fire exits were marked as “out of order.” The fire service further noted that building regulations pertaining to the 2008 conversion of the bingo hall into a banqueting suite were never officially approved, with 12 re-submissions ultimately rejected in August 2008. “As the premises have never been deemed suitable under the building regulations for its current use, there may be other safety matters that have not been suitably addressed,” the fire service commented. This report was compiled by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers local councils and other public service bodies. Information from BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country is accessible on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Details regarding the BBC’s approach to external linking are available.