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From the Dover Express, 19 October, 2006.
Report by Laura Smith
Flats 'proposed' to replace troubled nightspot.
Club owner calls time.
Vision: An artist's
Impression of what the new flats could look like, drawn up by Dudley
Marsh Architects.
DOVER'S only nightclub, Studio One, looks set to be torn down and
replaced by 16 flats, with a planning application already before the
district council.
The Adrian Street venue, previously known as "NuAge" and owned by
businessman Jim Gleeson, was bought for a reported £1million in 2004 by
Janak Masrani and business partner Tony Gibber.
Mr Masrani initially earned praise from police after cracking down on
crime and beefing up security, but problems soon resurfaced.
Earlier this year police called for a review of the club's licence, with
restrictions on opening hours and conditions over noise limits and
rubbish
outside. The move was supported by residents but criticised by Mr
Masrani, who said the police had a "vendetta" and were trying to
humiliate him.
He said: "I really don't need all that. I came to Dover with good
intentions and invested a lot of money. I got rid of a lot of bad
publicity.
"People were saying the club was nice.
But I couldn't do it myself, I had to have
the help of the police.
"If the police aren't going to give me the support I need then so be it.
I am going to put flats there."
The application for outline permission has been drawn up by Castle
Street based Dudley Marsh Architects and is
now with council planners.
Acting inspector John Merritt said he could not comment on Mr Masrani's
plans, but added: "The reason we applied for the review was to do with
crime and disorder and public safety.
"It's not just the residents. People who go out at night want to feel
safe. The evidence was that the club was generating crime and
disorder beyond what was acceptable.
"We work closely with licensees as far as possible but we are an
enforcement agency and have to uphold the law."
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