A North London shisha lounge has been allowed to keep its licence, albeit with reduced opening hours, after it was reviewed in response to the fatal stabbing of a man outside the venue last month. The review came after the Metropolitan Police suspected “serious failings” by the venue during the incident.
Police were called to reports of an attack at about 3.31am on May 18 outside the venue in Kingsbury. Ali Faris Muhammad, 26, was taken to Northwick Park Hospital after being left in critical condition with a stab wound but was pronounced dead shortly after. The police subsequently called for the suspension of Tigerbay’s licence at an initial review last month (May 23), which is held by a company called Carlton Lounge, but Brent Council’s Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Sub-Committee deemed it “not appropriate”.
During last week’s full review (June 13), the committee decided that, rather than stripping the bar of its licence, a number of new conditions would be added to it instead. This is despite allegations from the police that information gathered so far during their investigation “demonstrates that the licensing objectives are not being upheld” and had “no confidence that [the management] can operate without posing a risk to the public”.
The review application received a number of submissions both in favour and against the venue’s licence being revoked. Those in favour of removing it cited its allegedly “direct and damaging impact” on the local community, which had created a “heightened sense of fear” amongst residents. Those in favour claimed the premises is “run professionally” and “manages the space and its customers responsibly”.
Following the decision, the bar will now close at 2am on Sundays to Thursdays rather than its usual 3.30am, with no entry after 1.30am. On Fridays and Saturdays, it will close at 3.30am – rather than its usual 4.30am – with no entry after 2.30am.
Other conditions include ensuring the CCTV captures people entering and leaving the venue, all publicly accessible internal and external areas, and that a new camera installed at the front of the premises. Staff will also receive annual training on issues such as age verification, CCTV, conflict management, and how to respond to emergency situations.
According to the police report, an estimated 20 to 25 people were involved in the disorder. Staff were present and witnessed events but, whilst security personnel had made attempts to separate people involved, the police stated that there was “no call from the venue staff or management” to report the incident.
Police alleged body-worn video shows a manager telling an attending officer that the groups involved in the disorder had not been inside Tiger Bay before the disorder. The licence review application submitted by the police stated: “This was untrue, as they had been and indeed most, if not all, of the people had come from inside Tiger Bay, some having been specifically ejected by the staff/security.”
It added: “What has so far been established is that no-one from the venue called the police, the SIA (door staff) appear to have removed the fighting groups from inside the premises and made little to no attempt to take control of the incident that then escalated outside.” However, the committee ultimately decided that revoking Tigerbay’s licence was not appropriate.
A man in his 20s, from Barnet, was arrested on suspicion of murder on May 22.
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