A Bury town centre nightclub has been ordered to shut down “with immediate effect” after a young woman was raped after leaving its premises.

Club 66 on Silver Street has had its permission to trade revoked by the council after a licensing hearing sub-committee meeting yesterday, Tuesday, following a number of breaches to the conditions of its licence.

Greater Manchester Police submitted an application to review the club’s licence in March this year citing a failure to check the ID of an underage girl who was later raped after leaving the club’s premises.

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Bury district licensing officer, PC Peter Ecclestone, said door staff had been seen allowing customers into the club past its designated operating hours, and in some cases had been seen taking payment from patrons for entry.

At the hearing, PC Ecclestone also reported that several serious incidents had occurred which were connected with Club 66, including one in which a customer was assaulted outside with a glass bottle.

PC Ecclestone told the hearing that the victim and the alleged perpetrator had both been in the club before the perpetrator was ejected.

It was reported he then waited for the victim with a glass bottle he had found in a nearby bin. 

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The victim was attacked, with “repeated slashing motions” before being left “bleeding heavily on the floor". 

PC Ecclestone added that an arrest was made in connection to the incident.

The committee was also told about other separate allegations that had been made.

There was no one present at the hearing representing the club, but previous owner Jack Abedi said there has been a change of ownership.

Committee chair Cllr Gavin McGill said the council received an application to transfer the premises licence on May 26.

Defending the club at a previous hearing to discuss a temporary events notice application for the first weekend in April, Mr Abedi said the club had gone “above and beyond” to assist police where their enquiries.

Concluding, PC Ecclestone said: “There’s been a number of issues, numerous breaches of the premises licence.

“There’s numerous sexual offences being reported in relation to the venue.

“There’s a reluctance to provide CCTV from inside the premises.

“There has been numerous incidents where the operated schedule has been blatantly ignored.

“Had the licensing conditions been upheld, then the question is asked, could a lot of these incidents been avoided?”

Following deliberation, committee chair Cllr McGill said: “The decision of the subcommittee today (Tuesday) is to revoke the licence with immediate effect."

The club has the right to appeal the decision.

A council spokesperson said: “In the capacity as the licensing authority under the Licensing Act 2003, the council’s licensing and safety committee on June 13, 2023, considered an application to review the premises licence submitted by Greater Manchester Police in respect of Club 66, 24 Silver Street, Bury.

"The members of the sub-committee were advised of the applications to transfer the premises licence to another limited company called the Club 66 D Limited from Club Sixty Six Limited and the application to vary the designated premises supervisor on the premises licence.

"The applications stated to be with immediate effect. These applications are currently in process.

"Following the decision of the council’s licensing and safety committee to revoke the premises licence and to remove the designated premises supervisor, the current licence holder Club 66 D Limited has a right of appeal to the magistrates court within 21 days. The premises can continue to trade within the 21-day appeal period should they decide to lodge an appeal.”