Licence frozen after police raise serious safety failings
The City of Wolverhampton Council has suspended the licence of Oxygene nightclub on Queen Street for three months following a request from West Midlands Police, which alleged repeated breaches of licensing conditions and significant failures around searching, ID checks and crowd control. The move follows a call to police about a stabbing on 8 March and further disorder reported in early April, prompting councillors to impose tighter rules to curb risk to the public.
At the licensing committee hearing, police said conditions attached to Oxygene’s permit had been ignored. Officers cited missing or inadequate searches, ID verification and hand‑held metal detector use, as well as entry controls not being enforced after 03:00 and under‑18s not being removed by 21:00. Representatives for the venue disputed the club had caused the incidents but accepted that responses on the nights in question were mishandled.
Incidents in March and April set alarm bells ringing
Police told the committee they received a call about a stabbing on 8 March. When officers sought to review security footage, the venue’s team could not immediately produce the CCTV, and the recording later provided carried an incorrect timestamp. The footage eventually examined showed a fight outside the entrance. According to police evidence, members of the public broke up the altercation while security staff did not step in or alert officers. Attending police also reported a “moody” atmosphere and described the situation as “out of control”, with youths wearing balaclavas displaying hostility towards officers.
Further concerns were raised about 4 April, when police said there were more than 400 young males on Queen Street and a fight ensued. Body‑worn video from that evening showed the owner and security unable to confirm how many people were inside. The owner subsequently told officers the gathering was an invite‑only under‑18s event organised by local students.
Owner concedes poor handling; security team dismissed
Rob Edge, acting for owner Alex Osiagor, told the hearing the episodes were regrettable but argued there was no proof they were caused by the club itself. He acknowledged shortcomings in how the incidents were managed on the night. In a step to address failings, Osiagor confirmed the security staff involved had been dismissed. As part of the ruling, the council removed the option to host any further under‑18 events at the venue.
“The incidents were ‘regrettable’, but there was no evidence it was caused by the venue.”
Edge added that mistakes had not been handled
“in the best manner”, a point echoed by the committee as it set out a tougher compliance regime alongside the suspension.
What changes now for Oxygene and Queen Street
In addition to the three‑month suspension, the committee rewrote key parts of the licence. When (and if) Oxygene reopens, the club must operate under more restrictive hours and tighter admission controls designed to reduce late‑night flashpoints and ensure robust age verification.
- No under‑18 events: The venue is prohibited from holding parties for under‑18s.
- 21+ only: All events must be restricted to customers aged 21 and over.
- Earlier finish: Closing time has been cut back to 03:00, with last orders at 02:00.
- Universal ID checks: Door staff must check the identification of every person entering.
Police had also stressed routine use of search procedures and metal detectors, and tighter control of entry after 03:00, areas the committee expects to see embedded and auditable when operations resume.
Evidence that swayed the committee
The committee’s concerns centred on the reliability of security operations, safeguarding of young people and the ability to manage crowds in a narrow city‑centre street with multiple late‑night venues. Officers’ accounts of the March incident, the CCTV unavailability and timestamp errors, and the April crowd numbers painted a picture of systems not functioning as licensed.
| Issue | Police account | Committee response |
|---|---|---|
| CCTV handling | Not available at time; incorrect timestamp later | Undermined confidence in incident management |
| Security intervention | Fight dispersed by public; no prompt staff action | Condition tighten and suspension imposed |
| Age controls | Under‑18s present; large youth crowd in April | Ban on under‑18 events; 21+ only |
| Entry controls | After‑03:00 restrictions not enforced | Earlier closing; mandatory ID for all entrants |
Impact on the night‑time economy
The decision removes a prominent Queen Street venue from the Wolverhampton night‑time economy for a full quarter, affecting weekend footfall and dispersal patterns around the city centre. For neighbouring businesses, the ruling may reduce late‑night surges while raising expectations that operators demonstrate tighter compliance on searches, identification and CCTV readiness.
For patrons, the message is clear: expect stricter checks and earlier finishes across venues where licensing conditions have been tightened. For operators, the case underlines that documented compliance—from age verification to incident recording—will be central to retaining trading permissions when serious disorder or violence is reported nearby.
What happens next
During the suspension, Oxygene must ensure the new conditions and operational practices are ready to implement in full. West Midlands Police indicated that on the nights in question, basic safeguards were not applied consistently. The council’s ruling signals that any future reopening will be judged against the robustness of those measures and the venue’s ability to prevent a repeat of the lapses highlighted in March and April.
