Birmingham nightclub to remain open despite machete attack

However Pavo, on Vittoria Street, will remain closed for a further month.

Birmingham City Council’s licensing committee called in the venue for an expedited review, following a serious incident in June.

The committee heard how three men were attacked with a machete at around 4am on the morning of June 25 following an altercation with one of the venue’s doormen, with two sustaining injuries to their hands and one a 2/3 inch gash to the head.

West Midlands Police argued that the incident occurred due to a ‘catalogue of errors’, while a representative for Pavo argued that the venue could not have foreseen such an event occurring, and had been let down by the door staff it had hired.

Publishing their decision the committee wrote: “After hearing the submissions of West Midlands Police and the solicitor for the licence holder, the sub-committee determined that the causes of the serious crime incident, on Saturday, June 26, 2021 at around 04.00am, had appeared to originate from unsatisfactory internal management procedures at the premises.

“The police evidence... was that the licence holder was not suitable to continue in the role of designated premises supervisor.

“The events of Saturday June 26, 2021, in which an assault under section 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 had happened at the premises, involving a member of the premises’ own security staff, had amply demonstrated this.”

The venue’s Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) Mr Edo Edeko has been removed from his role, it was confirmed.

The decision continued: “Moreover, Mr Edeko himself had confirmed that the Pavo Birmingham establishment was his first venture into the licensed trade. The sub-committee shared the lack of confidence expressed by the police regarding Mr Edeko’s suitability to run a licensed late night venue in Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham, given his lack of experience.

“However, since the imposition of interim steps at the previous hearing, the police had noted the efforts being made by the premises licence holder to remedy and improve the style of operation, and stated that they had been impressed with his efforts.

“Accordingly the sub-committee determined that Mr Edeko, whilst remaining the licence holder, should be removed as designated premises supervisor; this was so that a suitable person could be recruited, in order to ensure the upholding of the prevention of crime and disorder objective in the Act.

“It was the advice of the police that replacing the designated premises supervisor would enable safe operation, as two senior people would be available to share the responsibility across all times of trading.”