Middlesbrough nightclub will remain closed following the alleged rape of a child who police say was able to gain access to the venue.
Lounge Afrique, on Corporation Road in Middlesbrough town centre, had its licence suspended and its designated premises supervisor removed following an emergency licensing review by Middlesbrough Council on 28 July.
The decision followed an application from Cleveland Police, which described the alleged incident as a matter of serious crime and safeguarding.
The nightclub’s licence holder, Percy Quarcoo, later asked councillors to reconsider the suspension. However, after a second hearing on Friday, 31 July, the council ruled that the venue should remain closed until a full licensing review on 17 August.
The emergency review was triggered after police received a report from the parent of a girl under the age of 16, who allegedly left home without permission before attending the nightclub.
Police also raised what they described as significant safeguarding concerns and alleged that staff had not fully cooperated with the investigation.
Officers further pointed to the number and nature of previous incidents linked to the venue over the past two years, including allegations of assaults, spiking, sexual offences and a report claiming the premises was being used as a brothel.
Although Mr Quarcoo did not attend 28 July’s hearing, he submitted written representations disputing aspects of the police evidence and argued that additional licence conditions would address concerns without suspending the venue’s licence.
However, Harriet Eglinton, representing Cleveland Police, told councillors that CCTV footage showed what she described as repeated breaches of existing licensing conditions. She said footage appeared to show people who looked under 18 being admitted without proper identification checks, with some customers presenting digital rather than physical identification documents.
The venue’s licence prohibits children from entering after 9pm.
Ms Eglinton said police were seeking a temporary suspension until stronger safeguards could be introduced. The committee agreed, suspending the premises licence and removing the designated premises supervisor.
In its written decision, councillors said CCTV footage also showed the alleged victim purchasing what was believed to be alcohol on at least two occasions.
Committee chair Cllr Stephen Hill said staff had failed to properly comply with existing licence conditions, placing the child at risk. “The interim steps are proportionate to prevent further serious crime and to promote the licensing objectives,” he said.
At 31 July’s review hearing, Mr Quarcoo told councillors he was “extremely disappointed” with the actions of the venue’s designated premises supervisor and said he was already recruiting a more experienced replacement. He also outlined a series of changes introduced since Tuesday’s hearing, including appointing an entirely new security team and ordering electronic ID scanners. Mr Quarcoo argued that the committee’s earlier decision did not state the alleged offence had taken place inside Lounge Afrique.
However, Cleveland Police licensing officer Amy Roberts told councillors that if the venue’s licence conditions had been properly followed, “the alleged offence possibly wouldn’t have happened”. She urged the licence holder not to become “fixated” on where the alleged offence took place.
Force solicitor Jonathan Tomlinson said the measures proposed by the nightclub had not yet been implemented and described the failures surrounding age verification as a “fundamental breach” of the existing licence.
The committee concluded it was “not satisfied” that the promised improvements had been put in place and ruled that the suspension should remain in force until the full review later this month.
Cleveland Police confirmed a 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape.
A force spokesperson said: “An investigation is taking place into the rape of a teenage girl, and a 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape. He remains on police bail with conditions whilst enquiries continue.”
