Syndicate re-opens under strict conditions

Britain's largest nightclub has re-opened just one month after it was closed by magistrates following police claims of violence and disorder.

The 4,000-capacity Syndicate nightclub in Blackpool had its late licence revoked after police presented magistrates with a dossier detailing 61 incidents over the past two years, including violence by the doorstaff, drug taking, underage drinking and a sexual act.

Club owner Mike Nordwind will now drop his application to open until 5am and will instead apply to trade until 2am.

Nordwind and police have agreed on an action plan that will see stringent conditions added to the Syndicate's licence. Although both sides declined to comment on the detail, the conditions cover installing CCTV, stepping up doorstaff security, putting a drugs policy in place and a plan to stop underage drinking.

'Subject to the ratification of the licensing authority, we have agreed a number of conditions in the form of a rigorous action plan,' said Superintendent Steve Watson.

Nordwind said: 'We have had positive meetings with the police and reached an agreement we are happy to move forward with.'