Mud Club agreed to ditch glass

The issue was at the centre of a review of the club's premises licence called by Sussex Police's Chief Inspector Brian Bracher.

He used a violent incident three months ago as the trigger for the review in which he called for the club to be stripped of its legal ability to sell drink for at least a week while it made the change to plastic.

He took that step '“ the first time the action had been taken against a pub or club around Bognor '“ because Mr and Mrs Bailey had refused previous requests to ditch glass.

Mr Bailey told the Arun District Council licensing sub-committee which heard the review request, the reluctance to change was based on what he considered to be a lack of violence at the club and the cost involved.

"We did look into using plastic but it was 30 per cent more expensive than glass," he told the committee. "Our top sellers were also not available in plastic.

"Glass bottles are a status symbol to some degree. They are something to hold or show off with to say you have paid 3 a bottle.

"In the three years we have been open, there have been various changes in the licensing industry which means our business is going down. People are coming to the club later, because pubs are open later, and then there is the smoking ban.

"Our profit has been diminished over time and the need to stay in business was a big factor in not switching over."

Mrs Bailey said: "The market forces you into using glass because it is so much cheaper. It bullies you into making that choice. It was a difficult morale situation for us. The safety of our customers and staff is of paramount importance but we are in a difficult trading environment."

These are the new conditions imposed by councillors on the Mud Club:

* no glass bottles should be given to customers and all drinking vessels should be made of plastic and only have smooth edges when they break. To take effect from August 8;

* the existing CCTV system should be upgraded, sited, maintained and operated to the police's satisfaction. A requirement for voice recordings in the foyer was dropped by the police because Sussex Police it would be technically difficult to achieve;

* a full incident log to be kept;

* the designated premises supervisor, or personal licence holder, to be supervising on the premises whenever it is open;

* one extra trained and registered door staff to be on duty alongside the existing five or six. Sussex Police originally called for two extra door personnel;

* staff training, detailing refusing to serve drunks and the premises' drugs policy, to take place monthly from July 21;

* an annual meeting to be held between the club's operators and neighbouring residents. The date of the first session to be arranged within 28 days of the committee meeting.

The first six of the conditions were requested by the police.

Sussex Police's barrister at the hearing, Spencer Hilliard, said: "These are seen as positive steps and the police are satisfied that, with their agreement, the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and the promotion of safety will be safeguarded and for that reason are not pressing the committee to suspend the licence."

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