Gloucester Liquid Nightclub to Stay Open Until 6am
A city nightclub is applying for a 24-hour licence in a bid to reduce late night anti-social behaviour.
The owner of Liquid Diva club on Eastgate Street wants longer hours to stagger the times revellers leave.
It wants to open until 4am on Wednesday and Friday nights, and until 6am on Saturday night.
The new hours will be trialled for a six-week period if they are granted an extended hours licence by Gloucester City Council.
A spokeswoman for owner Luminar Leisure said: “Working in partnership with the local police, Liquid Gloucester has applied for a 24-hour licence to help with dispersals in the area and alleviate the pressure placed upon the police with late night venue closing at the same time.
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“The proposed changes include staying open until 4am on Wednesday and Friday nights, and hosting an after show party on Saturday nights and staying open until 5-6am.
“A six-week trial, fully supported by the police, will commence upon the licence being granted.”
A Gloucestershire police spokeswoman said: “It is anticipated that the change to Liquid’s opening hours will help to alleviate the problems that can arise when everyone leaves the clubs and bars at the same time and large numbers congregate in the streets and at taxi ranks. A taxi marshalling scheme has also recently been introduced outside Liquid nightclub on a trial basis to move people away from the city centre quickly to ensure the safety of those on a night out and reduce anti-social behaviour.”
Keith Reynolds is the head of Gloucester’s Licensed Victuallers Association, the organisation representing pub and nightclub license holders in the city.
He said the move to open later was just another example of the changing face of the country’s pub and nightclub industry.
He said: “This is just another knock-on effect of the changes in opening hours.
“With later opening, people have started coming out later and drinking at home first. Therefore, pubs and clubs are being forced to open later to retain their trade levels.
“We are seeing people having to rethink their business strategy once again.”
Justin Hopwood, licensee at Butler’s on Eastgate Street, said he did not think the extended hours would be a problem for other licensed premises in the area.
He said: “I can’t really see any problem with this, and good luck to them.
“However, I’m not sure how many people will want to stay out that long really. It has always seemed to me that the street sees a lot of people milling around before going home between 2am and 3am, I can’t see anyone wanting to stay out until 6am.”