Kingston superclub Pryzm agrees to cut capacity by 30 per cent ahead of licence review

It follows Kingston police's request for Kingston Council to review the club's licence—described by barrister Philip Kolvin QC as "highly conditioned" with 65 conditions already—after a spate of violence at Christmas and New Year.

Licensing officer PC James Hartland claimed managers had failed to address issues around four incidents over the period, and alleged a series of irregularities in record keeping.

But manager Dan Corry, who has run the Deltic Group-owned club for six years, hit back in a statement to councillors and said he was disappointed with the police's approach.

Read more: Pryzm staff failed to record crime and report sexual assault, claim police

Read more: Pryzm manager 'disappointed' by licence review as Met reveals 999 calls to the club have DROPPED by 45 per cent

Late material uploaded by Kingston Council today reveals that managers and Kingston police have negotiated a settlement, rather than face an hours-long hearing like that preceding the closure of Essence nightclub in 2014.

If agreed by councillors at this morning's hearing, Pryzm's capacity will be slashed by 30 per cent to 1,800 clubbers and it will have to close its doors at 3.30am.

Mr Kolvin called the deal a "significant reduction in both hours and capacity".

He said the "overwhelming majority" of Kingston residents had no problem with Pryzm, which he said had "a strong training ethos, documented policies and experienced management".

He added: "It is a particular feature of licensing in Kingston that the licensing authority directly contacts residents in relation to review applications.

"In this case, no fewer than 1,586 addresses were contacted in writing and told of their right to make representations. Just 11 did.

"This is significantly less than 1 per cent. Of these the majority live at the far end of Fife Road, over 300m from the club.

"It demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of local residents have no issue with the club. This is unsurprising. It operates excellent controls.

"Furthermore, its copious expert evidence demonstrates the quality of its dispersal arrangements."

Policy shift

Councillors approved a new licensing policy at a full council meeting last night.

The policy makes official a planned shift away from what Kingston Council called "large, alcohol-led premises" designed to reduce violent disorder.

The move drew warnings from club owners and last year Liberal Democrat councillor Jon Tolley said it might become "impossible" to open a club in Kingston.

Paul Kinsey, who owns Kingston’s third largest club the Viper Rooms, said: "Councils seem to believe that simply saying that they want wine bars not nightclubs is a one-step solution to creating a social utopia where responsible drinking and a general feeling of late night bonhomie prevails."

Read more: Blame it on the boogie: Opening a club in Kingston will become "almost impossible"

Read more: Club owners warn Kingston over new 'alcohol-led premises' policy

Yesterday this website revealed exclusively that emergency calls for police to attend Pryzm had dropped by 45 per cent in two years, with a further fall observed in the first five months of this year.