Mansfield nightclub Qi has licence revoked by council
A Mansfield nightclub has become the first in the town to have its licence revoked by the council for failing to clamp down on alcohol-related crime.
The licensing panel took the decision after hearing evidence from Nottinghamshire Police about a string of assaults at Qi in Leeming Street.
The force also raised concerns about irresponsible drinks promotions.
The club's management, who have been unavailable for comment, have 21 days to appeal.
Qi has been closed since 17 June when an interim licence suspension was imposed.
At a hearing on Monday and Tuesday, police said there had been regular incidents of serious crime and disorder at the club since 2007, with a significant increase in recent months.
The panel was told that there had been 10 serious assaults, five involving glass bottles, since 29 March this year.
In addition, police evidence showed poor management at the club, including a badly maintained CCTV system and a failure to record serious incidents at the club on 20 occasions.
The panel also found that door supervisors had used excessive force with patrons on five occasions and that a lack of due diligence by door staff and managers had resulted in incidents spilling out on to the street outside the club.
Councillor Mick Barton, chairman of licensing at Mansfield District Council, said: "The evidence was a damning indictment of the way Qi was being run and the licensing panel had no option but to impose the toughest penalty available to us, revocation of the licence.
"The recent increase in disorder at Qi was directly linked to the way the club was being run.
"This goes against the reduction in drink-related disorder achieved throughout the rest of the town centre."
The council took over responsibility for alcohol licensing in the town in 2003.