Pitiless police persecute Plastic People. Punters pissed.

nomos

Administrator
Saw the group on facebook and a mention in the dubstep thread. There's a bit of info on the fb page but it's a bit 'ALL CAPS.'

THE POLICE ARE TRYING TO SHUT DOWN PLASTIC PEOPLE

There is a notice outside the door saying there are 2 reasons why the Police want to take the license away.

1/ PREVENTION OF PUBLIC NUISANCE
2/ PREVENTION OF CRIME ANTI DISORDER

Plastic People have until the 11th March to appeal.

I believe Ade is on his way back and I have asked Bernard to scan and send copy of the document to me so I can post it up here.

Maybe someone like Boom or Blackdown can tell us more?
 

computer_rock

Well-known member
The latest info is posted on the wall of the group.

BERNARD IS MEETING WITH A LAWER TOMORROW.
HE WILL SCAN ALL DOCUMENTATION AND FORWARD TO ME SO I CAN POST IT HERE FOR ALL TO SEE.

ONE PIECE OF EVIDENCE SUBMITTED WAS FROM THE NONSENSE CHRISTMAS PARTY IN DECEMBER WHERE THE POLICE APPARENTLY SAW OVER 20 PEOPLE OPENLY HANDLING AND TAKING DRUGS AT THE BAR! WHAT A PILE OF RUBBISH!!!! ADE AND BERNARD HATE THE STUFF, WE DO NOT ATTRACT A DRUGGY CROWD AT ALL.

This apparently might have something to do with it:
http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/con...=newshkyg&itemid=WeED16 Dec 2009 15:03:47:997
 

nomos

Administrator
yeah i saw that as well. was hoping there was maybe more info though.

"Hackney Gazette said:
A new team of officers - known as JEDI - discovered evidence of cocaine in the female toilets and DJ booth of Plastic People in Curtain Road.
To be fair, the same could probably be said of any toilet in the City, or wherever. Also just dumb to call narcs JEDIs.
 

mms

sometimes
yeah this could be disasterous, so counter productive, and petty.

surely some guidelines and help would be better than closing down a place.

the police are so fuckin backward in their approach to everything, it's incredible how much shit they get away with, they never change.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
If they really are shutting the place down over a trace of charly found in the women's bogs, that is just pathetic. I'd had a sort of vague impression that the authorities, in London anyway, were basically aware that it's impossible to stop people taking coke or pills in clubs and bars and that it was, if not tolerated as such, at least ignored as long as there wasn't blatant dealing or people getting into trouble because they were so fucked.

So maybe I was wrong - or maybe this part of some pre-election/pre-Olympics crackdown. OMG some people are having fun, better dispatch the cavalry... :mad:
 
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baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
This is awful. Exactly what mms said - they need to issue guidelines, instead of shutting things down befiore they have even issued any. In a better world they'd take the coke to a laboratory, test it for purity, and issue press releases raging about the low quality of drugs on London's streets.
 

Transpontine

history is made at night
It's true that a request for a licence review doesn't necessarily mean losing the licence - at this stage it's just as likely there will be new and more restrictive conditions put on the licence - e.g. changing the opening hours, restricting the numbers of people, requiring addtional security - all of which could affect the future viability of the club nevertheless.
 

martin

----
Also the seOne club has closed, blamed on recession but violence and heavy security/licensing conditions also factors

Can't say I'm surprised. The second and last time I went to that dump (the Aphex Twin/Whitehouse/Mark Stewart shindig), there were signs up explaining that if two people were caught in one of the cubicles, they'd be ejected. The bouncers weren't quite as psychotic as the Irish crew who ran the Venue in New X, but there was an unpleasant vibe growing as the night went on.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
It was at one of those clubs in that area around London Bridge - probably seOne* itself - where I remember having my thumbprint scanned to put my jacket in the cloakroom. Civil liberties FAIL.



*that's how it's officially typeset? Christ almighty! :mad:
 

john eden

male pale and stale
Official Statement from the Management of Plastic People

"Hello everyone and thank you very much for your support. We know that Plastic People is loved by all of you, but we could never have predicted the reactions from so many people in such a short time. It has been overwhelming. On behalf of everyone here at Plastic People, special thanks to Benny Blanco for starting the ‘Keep Plastic People Alive’ Campaign and to all of you who are showing your appreciation for what the club has done over the last 16 years

Charlotte and I are in no doubt how serious this situation is and as a result had a meeting with the solicitor yesterday. This does not mean that all hope is lost and that Plastic People has come to its end. However, it does mean that we must do all we can to co-operate with the Police and Hackney Council in order to ensure that we can keep the best dance music venue in London open for all to enjoy.

Here is a breakdown of the whole process:

• The police have made an application to Hackney Council for a review the premises licence at Plastic People on the grounds that the way the management have been operating the club has breached the existing terms of its licence and failed to prevent crime and disorder and public nuisance.

• The notice outside the club’s premises will be there till the 11th March, which is the closing date for representations to be made by ‘interested parties’ (unfortunately this does not include you guys, but there may be an opportunity for you to make a contribution, see below) for or against the closure or any other outcome of the review.

• After the 11th, the licensing department at Hackney Council will, within 10 days, write to all parties concerned to invite them to a sub-committee hearing on a given date at a given address where they would make their case. That hearing should take place by the 31st of March.

• It would then be up to the Committee to decide on the eventual outcome which could be one or more of these:

(a) To revoke the license altogether;
(b) To suspend the license for a period not exceeding three months;
(c) To modify the conditions of the license;

Once a decision has been made, we would be notified and in the worst case scenario, we would have the option of appealing, but our current aim is to work with the Police and the Licensing Authority to find a solution that is satisfactory to all. Having never had problems with our licence over 16 years, whether in Oxford Street or Shoreditch, we are optimistic that this will be possible. Whilst the management concentrate on working With the Police and Hackney Council to address their concerns, much still needs to be done. Unfortunately, we can’t make the full version of the Police application openly available at this stage. A collection of people involved in the club are setting up a Committee called Friends of Plastic People. They will gather people’s experiences of working with and attending Plastic People over the years. They will meet this week and no doubt they will let you know how you can help.

I would urge everyone to hold back on making representations to the Police or the Council in the meantime, but by all means carry on spreading the word.

Once again, my most heartfelt gratitude to all of you!"

Bernard KOUDJO
Plastic People LTD
Curtain Road
Shoreditch, EC2A 3QE
 
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