Council imposes conditions on Lala Lounge over 'violent incidents'

DRUNKEN revellers used fire extinguishers as weapons in a terrifying brawl at a Hammersmith Broadway nightclub – one of three violent incidents connected with the club this year.

Lala Lounge's record forced Hammersmith and Fulham’s licensing committee to take action and last week they cut its opening hours.

It was also banned from playing music or holding any event in its basement, effectively forcing it to stop trading as a club.

Violence first flared on New Year’s Eve when a man was left unconscious and two others injured in a fight that escalated in the downstairs bar.

Police said then that the incident was so violent they had to call back-up before they could intervene, while a partygoer at the time described women being trampled on and fire extinguishers being hurled at innocent drinkers.

In a statement read to the committee police said one officer saw ‘pools of blood across the dance floor’.

"People were streaming out of the basement area into the street, many of whom were clearly distressed,” he said. "A number of them were shouting out, there was a big fight downstairs with improvised weapons such as bottles, chairs and fire extinguishers."

Another officer said in evidence: "There was a man unconscious with head injuries and two other with head and face injuries. Furnishings were smashed and bottles and glasses, and a fire extinguisher was lying on the floor."

Another fight broke out on February 23 and another the following day when drinkers leaving the bar were involved in a brawl further down the road, which involved a 17-year-old.

The club has had 20 conditions imposed on the licence, including reduced opening hours to midnight, better ID checks and a ban on music.

Owner Mehmet Adisem labelled the decision an ‘extreme reaction’ and denied the February incidents were connected with drinkers from his bar.

He said he intended to appeal against the committee’s ruling, which will severely harm business, he said, adding he had been forced to make three staff redundant.

"The shorter opening hours and banning of comedy or acoustic nights means we need to sell more alcohol to fewer people in a shorter space of time, which is ridiculous, because the council wants to tackle binge drinking," he said.

Deputy council leader Greg Smith said: "The decision speaks volumes about what the committee thinks of the management’s lack of control at the venue."