Penthouse gets 3am nightclub licence
A top West End of London nightclub that has been the venue of parties for the glitterati has won a late-night drinks extension in the face of objections by police who claimed late-night clubs can cause drinking problems for all types of people.
As an example of the sort of people who can get into trouble as a result of drink, Police Inspector Andrew Wilkins cited the brush with the law last year of Prime Minister's son Ewan Blair.
However, Judge Timothy Pontius at Blackfriars Crown Court overturned a 2am drinks curfew imposed by Marylebone Magistrates on Leicester Square's Penthouse Club despite objections by both the police and Westminster Council.
Instead he ruled that drinking could continue Monday to Saturday until 3am, with a stipulation that everyone should be clear of the building by 3.30am.
Afterwards club owners Mark Young of South Royd, Norfolk, Paul Carew, of Epsom, Surrey, and Neville Mody, of Knights-bridge, London, said they were "absolutely delighted".
Mody said: "It's a great result excellent. Its not fair if we're not on a level playing field. I think the judge and the magistrates with him saw common sense and that we're good operators."
