Police tape AGAIN at BG Max on Tottenham Lane

[HappyinCrouchy]

Once again, we see police tape outside Crouch End's notorious BG Max 'club' after a suspected GBH last night. This is the second time in 6 months.

The council seem unprepared to do anything about it as do the police.

This place clearly attracts trouble...maybe our resident SNT officer can share with us what can be done to help make this a safer neighbourhood. Residents in the area are not happy.

[Adrian Essex]

I saw the tape this morning. Possible lines of inquiry to determine whether this club should be investigated further include 

Hornsey Councillors [e-mail]; [e-mail]; [e-mail];

The sergean responsible for our Safer Neighbourhood [e-mail]

And haringey licensing department [e-mail]

I will not be around to formulate a proper question to these people, but perhaps it could be as simple as "What will trigger a review of the licence conditions at BG Max?"

[HappyinCrouchy]

Many of these routes have been tried in the past but no-one has come up with a suitable response. It appears that even people being stabbed and nearly killed doesn't seem to stir our authorities into action.

I would make it clear that we're anything to happen here, and the way it is going this is likely to be a fatality, those who know what is happening here but continue to do nothing about it will have blood on their hands. This is commonly known as corporate manslaughter.

The question will now be set - what WILL it take to review the license conditions at BG Max and to see some action taken?

[graham B]

do you know what kind of place it is and who is going there?

[Adrian Essex]

The owner is quoted as saying  “Normally we have one bouncer for 60 people and that night we had 80 people and five bouncers.

“If people want to fight they will, and even if you take them out they will continue and then it’s the police’s turn.

“I’ve got an appointment with the council next week; it’s not our fault to be honest - it happens in every club, in every borough.” which seems nihilist and irresponsible - I'd disbar him from having a licence on the basis of this quote alone.

This Facebook page suggests that clientele form all over the Balkans are invited on the basis that "BALKANS COUNTRY WE ALL FRIENDS!" My knowledge of Balkan relationships is hazy, but I think the "!" indicates a certain irony.

This facebook event is set out in Cyrillic script and a language that is not English - so it would appear to cater for an expat community. The youtube video (presumably the interior of BG Max) paints a picture of a calm, jolly sober establishment.

[HappyinCrouchy]

It is predominantly a Turkish and Bulgarian nightclub. There are fights every week, people spilling out of the back door into the street to fight at 4 in the morning. In 12 months, there have been at least 4 assaults - stabbings, people being dragged out of cars and beaten and GBHs. There are people drinking on the street, gangs of men sitting in cars and drug dealing apparent.

The owners have no respect for the community in which they have 'joined'. They intimidate Tottenham lane and the residents on all surrounding streets. They leave their rubbish all over the street, have caused rat infestation and use the rooms upstairs as a halfway house for various undesirable people who in turn populate the club.

There is a significant voice of people who have concerns and are liaising, I believe, with the polie and the council to put a stop to this.

The owner is a Bulgarian ex pat who, in his own words, is looking to create a little Bulgaria in the UK.

If this is what it looks like, then, as owners of our community, we need to ask ourselves is this what we want to see?

He hs to take ownership of the problem and recognise that this only reinforces a negative view of this kind of 'project'. Crouch End is a very welcoming place but with families and genuine, honest people being intimidated due to this place, there needs to be more done to stop this happening.

Will it take a murder on the street to jolt people into action?

[graham B]

*sigh*

[OpinioN8 Administrator]

are you aware http://opinion8.ning.com/forum/topics/review-of-premises-alcohol-li...

[Clairy]

Ooh lovely - a special night out for Bulgarian fighters! Bet that was a quiet night in...