A Windsor nightclub has been told it must reopen under a new name and operate as a restaurant, bar and cabaret after councillors varied its licence instead of revoking it.
Thames Valley Police had called for the licence of Mantra, located under the arches of Windsor and Eton Central railway station, to be revoked following a 35-day suspension last summer. The force cited repeated failures to prevent crime, disorder and public nuisance in and around the venue.
Residents in nearby streets reported problems, with one describing the area as a 'no go zone'. The club's management had also failed to attend police and council meetings in the past year, breaching a licence condition.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council agreed to a number of variations, including that Mantra must close by 01:00 on Friday and Saturday nights. The venue will now shift its focus to become a restaurant, champagne-cocktail bar and late-night cabaret.
Since the suspension, Thames Valley Police had classed Mantra as a 'problem premise', stating that resources were being diverted from other areas to police the venue.
