Yahoo News North London bar wants to become family restaurant - police want it shut down after fatal stabbing
The Metropolitan Police are looking to revoke the licence of a Wembley bar, where a 21-year-old man was stabbed to death in 2022, over the venue's 'long history of violent crime, drugs, and incompetent management'. The Aura Lounge Bar in Sudbury has applied to appoint a new manager in order to turn the venue into a restaurant but officers stated they have 'no confidence' in them running it in an 'appropriate and legal manner'.
The bar has applied to Brent Council to transfer the licence, currently held by KN Bros Limited, to a new licensee, Ana-Maria Grama. The new team wants to turn the bar into a 'family-run, high-class restaurant' but the police claim the situation has got 'so dire', they want the licence removed altogether.
In a statement opposing the transfer, PC Phil Graves pointed to the venue's 'constant breaches' of its premises licence, which prompted a series of letters and visits from both police and council officers. The Aura had its licence reviewed twice in 2022 after Givani Espuet, 21, was stabbed to death outside the venue but the police claim it hasn't improved since then, despite imposing a series of stringent conditions, and it still attracts the 'wrong type of customers'.
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PC Graves said: "Ms Ana Grama has no experience in running a busy and challenging restaurant/night club and the proposed new management team state it was an error on their behalf appointing her and in fact it should have been her husband applying for this post."
He added: "I have had no contact from the new management team regarding a list of proposed conditions for the family restaurant. [...] I would have expected a new management team serious in turning a failing nightclub into a prosperous family orientated restaurant to have sent in a list of proposed conditions, transfer of DPS (Designated Premises Supervisor) and an explanation of the licence transfer.
"My overall impression was one of poor management and planning and I hold no confidence in this new team running the venue in an appropriate and legal manner."
The Aura was put up for sale in October of this year. A meeting was held between the proposed new management team and police and council officers at Brent Civic Centre on November 8 to discuss the plans. The team claimed the purchase of the venue is 70 per cent completed, with over half a million pounds already ploughed into the business by investor Iftikhar Ashard.
Mr Ashard explained that he planned to close the venue for around a week to revamp the business, with the goal of opening in the New Year. He wants to rename the venue to Babylon Bar and Restaurant, which will serve a mixture of Indian, Mexican and Lebanese cuisine.
PC Graves suggested that the team submit a set of conditions suitable for a respectful family restaurant, however, this has still not been done. The current licence permits the venue to continue operating until 2am on weekends and 1am during the week.
In response to the concerns raised by the police, Ms Grama said: "I am aware of the complaint by the police about the disturbances at the premises. However, I must state that I have been informed by the previous licensee that the alleged crimes happened on the streets and not at the club."
She added: "The incidents which relate to the period of previous owners should not be held against me. [...] I should state that the consideration of my licence should not be prejudiced by incidents under the previous licensee.
"We have a new experienced management team who will run the operations. [...] We are keen to have a thriving restaurant where people can enjoy delicious food at reasonable prices. These types of places are badly required in the borough. We would like to work closely with the local police and the residents."
The application will be reviewed by Brent Council's Entertainment and Alcohol Licensing Sub-Committee on December 11.
A group of seven men were found guilty over the killing of Givani Espuet, who was stabbed 11 times. Kadeem Hibbert, Sahid Kpaka and Courtney Forrester were jailed for life, while Andre Brown-Watson and Bruce Hutchinson were jailed for two years and six months, and two years and nine months respectively.
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