Exeter nightclub ‘exonerated’ after student collapse hearing

Timepiece is a favourite haunt for university students

The company behind a popular Devon nightspot says it has been ‘exonerated’ over an incident in which a teenage university student collapsed and fell down stairs during a Freshers Week night out.

The girl’s family and friends believe her drink may have been spiked before she collapsed in Exeter’s Timepiece nightclub – a favourite haunt of students at the city’s university.

A meeting of the city council’s licensing committee heard claims that club staff had failed to show basic care for the girl when she became ill.

But councillors have decided not to revoke or suspend the club’s licence, and not to discipline any of its staff. Instead they have recommended more training and the appointment of a ‘welfare officer’ to respond to customers’ needs.

Timepiece director Sam King said: “We feel exonerated by the decision of the committee and their findings of fact – in particular, that the written witness evidence submitted by the applicant did not accurately reflect what had occurred and that the actions of our terrific door supervisors did sufficiently promote the licensing objectives.”

He said the review had been initiated without any prior contact with Timepiece and, at times, had felt like a personal witch hunt.

He went on: “It has been a very challenging time for the entire Timepiece team, particularly as (the student) has continued to visit the venue regularly. It has always been the case that the welfare of our customers, particularly female customers, has been paramount to us.”

The three-man licensing committee saw CCTV footage of the incident during an all-day hearing. After the girl fell backwards down the stairs she was lifted back to her feet by a member of staff.

She was taken out of the club but later passed out in the street around the corner, out of sight of the club. Her friends called an ambulance.

Lawyer David Dadds had applied for a review into the club’s licence, saying door staff had failed to show basic care for the girl when she became ill.

He said he had not wanted the club to lose its licence, but added: “We just want to make sure that when people go to Timepiece, they get home again safe and sound.

“This premises has let this girl down. A vulnerable person has been failed.”

But the three-man committee decided that Timepiece was operated ‘in a professional manner’ and in a way that protects vulnerable people.

It also said written witness evidence which was part of Mr Dadds’ submission to the meeting did not accurately reflect what had happened on the night.

The security officer who got the collapsed girl back to her feet was right to do so, the committee decided, and taking her out through a fire exit to an outside bench was the right thing to do.

The committee’s findings go on: “The overall conduct of the female security officer towards (the student) was firm, but considerate.”

Councillors noted that Timepiece no longer sells the 75 per cent proof high-strength rum drink mentioned during the hearing. They said they did not think revoking or suspending the club’s licence was required, but came up with a list of licence conditions, many of which are already in place at the club.

They include having a written drugs and spiking policy; keeping an incident log and offering more training to staff. Areas for training include recognising the signs of drunkenness and having a ‘welfare station’ and a customer welfare officer available at all times.

Mr Dadds, who represented the student without payment, told the BBC he was satisfied with the outcome, and it was important that the council had put in additional steps to make sure young people got home safely after nights out.