Published at 16:46, Friday, 04 January 2013

THE owner of a Barrow club shut down by police on its opening night has been fined £500 by magistrates.

GUILTY PLEA: Matthew Blackburn REF: 50040966B000

Matthew Blackburn, 26, pleaded guilty to breaching the 2003 Licensing Act at Furness Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Blackburn, from Parker Street, Barrow, had taken over the recently closed Sanctuary in Abbey Road, Barrow, and relaunched it as V-Forty on Friday, November 23, last year.

But at around 9.55pm, police officers and representatives from Barrow Borough Council entered the club and found staff selling alcohol to customers, despite the fact it had no premises license in place. A gig was cancelled and the scheduled Saturday night show, with renowned DJs Scratch Perverts, was left without a venue.

Mr Andrew Dodd, prosecuting, said: “There were the proper staff on the bar and security staff were in place. In all respects the club appears to have been perfectly managed and in order. However he did not have a premises license from the proper authorities. He was offered advice from police and staff at Barrow Borough Council as early as November 11 but he did not contact anyone before the 23rd.”

Blackburn had left his post as secretary of Barrow Engineers Club, next door to Sanctuary, in controversial circumstances on November 15, and effectively switched places with its owner Mark Naunton, who took over the Engineers.

The court heard Blackburn had undergone a course to gain status as a designated license holder, but he was waiting for his CRB check to come back before he was issued with his license.

Blackburn believed he was covered by the venue’s previous license, but it emerged the license displayed in the club had been surrendered and the club was operating illegally.

He told the court: “There was a license on the wall which was in date,but the previous owner had surrendered his license. If I knew I didn’t have the right license in place I would not have paid £2,000 for DJs. It was an oversight and we have rectified it now.”

Magistrate Margaret Rogerson ordered Blackburn to pay £50 victim surcharge and £75 court costs on top of the £500 fine.

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