Club hits back

By Kelly Yates
THE owner of a Narre Warren nightclub has hit back at claims the venue’s liquor licence should be revoked.
Owner of Club 1422 Lorraine Sampson is speaking out after reports a Hampton Park mother was starting a campaign to remove the Lauderdale Road club’s liquor licence.
As reported in the News last week, Lynda Gould said Club 1422 needed to be shut down after her son was king-hit from behind in the car park of the venue in 2007.
Ms Sampson said she questioned the motive behind the campaign given that it was directed at one venue.
She said closing local venues or banning alcohol wouldn’t eliminate social dysfunction, it would just force the young people to travel to other venues.
“If the local entertainment spots close down the youth would organise large unsupervised parties in private homes, as we have seen in the past, and roam the streets, putting themselves and the general public at risk,” she said. Ms Sampson said it was impossible to completely prevent anti-social behaviour.
“The incidents at the venue, which are very uncommon, are usually sparked by a prior history or jealousy over girls or boys, rather than alcohol,” she said.
She said Club 1422 was the best-managed venue in the area, with the lowest rate of problems.
“It’s naive to assume that alcohol is always the cause of problems or that closing venues or banning alcohol is the solution,” she said.
“Our security staff deny admission to drunks and troublemakers. The staff circulate constantly through the venue to take action if necessary. We also archive security footage and ID documents for all patrons so that they can be identified and traced by the police if necessary.”
Ms Sampson said the wider issue was that some people attacked others without thinking about the consequences.
“We see numerous reports of assaults during the day and night at food outlets and in the streets,” she said.
“Such violence is condemned and the police should show zero tolerance to the louts responsible, while also working co-operatively with the venues.” Ms Sampson said there were double standards with regard to alcohol purchase and consumption.
“A football club recently served ‘all the alcohol you can drink for $100’ and it’s this sort of irresponsibility where problems start, not in well-managed licensed venues. We are held responsible for our patrons and would lose our licence for promoting intoxication and irresponsibly serving alcohol.”
“However, football clubs can provide an unlimited supply of alcohol and then release their members into the public while drunk and more likely to cause problems.”