Luminar to appeal licence revocation at Oceana Kingston
The venue had its licence revoked after an incident on 25 October that resulted in the death of 20 year-old Jamie Sanderson.
In a statement, chief executive Peter Marks said: “We are going to appeal as we believe that the decision to revoke our licence was disproportionate and inappropriate.
“Oceana has been a key part of the Kingston night-time economy for over 20 years and employs 200 people locally. It is a well-run, professional and secure venue that over 300,000 people enjoy every year.
“Our management team has worked hard to build productive relationships with the police and local authorities. We are always conscious of our neighbours and have taken various steps to minimise disruption and have not received a single complaint from residents during the last six years.
“The safety and security of our customers is and always has been our main priority. The club has one of the most sophisticated search and security procedures of any nightclub in the UK, including the use of ID scanners, metal detection arches and wands, over 100 CCTV cameras, a large team of fully trained and regulated door staff and an on-site paramedic.
“This far exceeds the security measures outlined under the terms of our licence and has been implemented with the full knowledge of local police. Over the last five years violent crime has decreased and, of those crimes, over 88% were down to the theft and loss of mobile phones which distorts the overall figures. Our security system proved invaluable to the police investigation, contributing to the arrest and charging of four people.
“We look forward to working closely with the local Kingston community, licensing and police teams to maintain the safest possible environment for our customers to enjoy a great night out.”
