Police will next week challenge the licence of one of Brixton’s oldest community institutions, the Domino Club on Coldharbour Lane.
At a meeting of the council’s licensing committee, they will claim that the club is being used for drug dealing by gang members and is the scene of assaults and threats involving firearms.
It is understood that, ahead of the meeting, the management team of the club is discussing the issues with Lambeth council.
The building also houses two more recent, but equally remarkable, manifestations of Brixton’s community spirit – the Brixton Soup Kitchen and Lawyers in the Soup Kitchen.
The police application acknowledges that “Brixton Sports and Social Club is a key part of the community in Brixton, and a full revocation of the [licensing] certificate would, in our opinion, seriously undermine the relationship between the community, the council and the police.”
Members of the licensing committee will consider a dozen or so documents and reports. But the key issue is that the police and council say the building has a licence to operate as a private members’ club but is, in fact, operating as a commercial nightclub and is unable to control who comes in, when and what they do on or around the premises.
The police application is based as much on what might happen as what has happened at the club.
It says that “given the lack of effective management and controls at the premises, it cannot continue in its current state in a manner that promotes the licensing objectives.
“We do not wish to find ourselves in the position of having had another, more serious, incident and having to look back to explain why we did not do more to protect those who socialise there.”
The application is due to be heard at a meeting at the Karibu centre in Brixton at 7pm on Thursday 30 November.
Brixton Domino Club has been a fundamental instrument for social and community integration. a place were retiree and young people alike can come together have fun. A place were kids can come for extra lessons or participate in extra curricular activities.
It would be unfortunate to have the licence revoke and not seek a solution that would benefit all parties involved.
Hi the police can always challenge, But Every one must Remember Brixton Dominoe Club is part Of How History, it as being in the community for years Plus helping youngsters and Learning Them Too play Domino’s, an How it helps them with Maths an joy ments of the Games So it would be a Very Big Lost Too The Community, If Brixton Dominoe’s Club Loses Their Licences. Yours Mr L B Rennalls