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Gang fear forces town club to close

Stuart Greer
15/11/2006

FEARS that criminal gangs involved in drugs and guns are connected to an Oldham nightclub have led to its licence being revoked.

The verdict reached by Oldham Council's licensing panel on Tuesday concerning Players in Bridge Street, was a successful attempt by police to shut the club down after escalating incidents of violence and drugs.

Police claimed licensee Karen Hessing had "failed totally" in her duty by maintaining connections with convicted money launderer, Sophia Arzoni, by allowing unauthorised events at the club and not running CCTV properly.

Ms Hessing will appeal the verdict at Oldham Magistrates' Court and plans to relaunch the club as FAY - a gay club.

The club's turbulent history began under previous licensee Rory Kelly, who ran the premises as a lap dancing club and employed manager Barry Gooch, known to have links with Arzoni.

In December 2005 police found evidence of drug use and dancers being touched and performing full strip-tease, contrary to the licence. The allegations were strongly denied.

Issues over criminal connections plagued the club and it was closed for a month in March, reopening in April under strict police surveillance.

In June, six months after paying £50,000 for a share in the club, the license transferred to Ms Hessing with strict conditions that the link with Arzoni was severed. However in August an unlicensed event called 'Campaign with your Champagne' went ahead culminating in a violent brawl leaving a man with serious head injuries.

It was the last straw for police who were unconvinced Ms Hessing had control over the club and in September the club was closed for a month and police applied for the license to be revoked.

This week the licensing panel - Cllrs Derek Heffernan, Philip Harrison and Jeremy Sutcliffe - heard from licensing officer PC Steve Race who believed there was evidence of notorious Manchester gangs visiting the club, staff connected to Arzoni working at the club, and a serious danger of someone being hurt.

Ms Hessing argued she had done everything in her power to bring the club into line and that the lives of her family had been threatened because of an ownership dispute and thousands of pounds in loans.

"I am very disappointed," she said. "None of it is true."


| Submit CommentSubmit Comments | View CommentsView Comments(2)


Most recent 2 of 2 user comments

   i have been going out in oldham for many years now an i think that the changes an the image turn around that has been achived at fayz club(players)is one that should be seen as a good thing not a bad one be the police and council ppl
julie smith, oldham
20/12/2006 at 19:47
   The goings on I now read about in Oldham & Manchester are simply unbelievable. They happen almost weekly. I would be too scared to leave the house at night. No wonder I emigrated to Eastern (now central) Europe. I won't be coming back to live, sorry.
Bill Bradbury, Eastern Europe - born in Oldham
16/11/2006 at 16:22
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