Popular New Cross nightclub The Venue has been given new licensing restrictions after an alleged attack by a doorman left a 19-year-old woman with severe injuries to the face and head.
Jodie Hills was left with a 10-inch cut to her forehead and a broken nose after the incident outside The Venue in Clifton Rise early Saturday morning.
Hills claims she was thrown out of the club and pushed onto some nearby railings by a doorman. Her injuries, pictured above, required 28 stitches.
Lewisham borough commander, Chief Superintendent Kate Halpin, requested an expedited review of the club’s licence on Tuesday. The licensing hearing took place Wednesday night at Lewisham Council.
It was decided that in order for The Venue to re-open, it must adhere to the following terms: Immediate installation of higher quality CCTV cameras that record in colour, all door staff must come from an approved company, ID’s of patrons must all be recorded upon entry and nobody is to enter the club past 2am.
Following the alleged attack, friends and family flocked to support Hill’s claim with a Facebook page entitled “Name and shame venue staff #justiceforjodie”
The Venue’s official statement on staff involvement: “The Venue would like to say her injuries were sustained outside the club as a result of her falling after she was ejected from the premises.
“They were not inflicted by a member of staff as has been stated and the club CCTV proves this and will be handed over to the police whom we will be cooperating with fully in their ongoing investigation.”
Jodie maintains that her injuries were not caused by a fall, protesting that she “wasn’t that drunk.”
A man, 35, and woman, 38, were interviewed under caution at a south London police station on Monday, but no arrests were made and the investigation continues.
Police urge anybody in or outside The Venue between Friday 11:50pm and Saturday 3:35am who may have information regarding the alleged attack, to come forward.