Weymouth nightclub to open later after problems addressed

Actors nightclub was shut down in December 2021 following police concerns

A nightclub that temporarily closed over drug dealing concerns has been granted permission to open later.

Chic in Weymouth shut in December 2021 but reopened last year with new licence conditions, including increased security and reduced opening hours.

Dorset Council agreed to extend the licence from 02:30 to 03:30 but did not grant a request to reduce the number of searches of patrons at the door.

Some changes to security staffing were also agreed.

The venue in Maiden Street, previously known as Actors, had its licence revoked in 2021 after Dorset Police raised concerns over violence and drug dealing, said to have occurred while owner Parviz Panjalizadeh-Marseh was away on holiday.

The club reopened with a new name in July last year on the condition that staff would scan the ID of all patrons and carry out body searches.

But, as previously reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the rules about entry and re-entry led to door staff locking two DJs outside.

The applicant also said a shortage of female security staff had meant, on occasions, there was no one available to search women entering the venue, forcing it to close.

Dorset Police had objected to a request to cut security checks from 100% of patrons to 80%, saying they had led to a decrease in crime.

In her decision notice, councillor Emma Parker, chair of the licensing sub-committee, acknowledged Mr Panjalizadeh-Marseh had worked with Dorset Police to address problems at the venue.

She added: "In terms of the necessity for female SIA (Security Industry Authority) door staff to undertake searches of female customers, the police accepted the position that a female member of staff could carry out this role if a female member of door staff was not available."