Richard Carr: Be grateful for superclub, it will bring new life to Bournemouth (From Thisisdorset)

Richard Carr: Be grateful for superclub, it will bring new life to Bournemouth

9:00am Friday 14th September 2012 in Latest

NIGHTCLUB entrepreneur Richard Carr has claimed the town “should be grateful” for his efforts in trying to “inject new life” into the night-time economy.

Mr Carr spoke out after councillors approved a bid to merge two town centre nightspots into a “superclub” that would attract top-name DJs to Bournemouth.

Together, the V Club – which is in the former St Andrew’s Church in Exeter Road – and Viper Lounge – situated behind it in Terrace Road – will be operated by businessman James Beedham, with help from nightclub consultant Richard Carr.

Mr Carr welcomed the decision and hit out at detractors, who complain about the number of pubs, bars and clubs in the town centre.

“The reason there’s no diversity in the town is because it’s impossible to run any establishment with the overheads that businesspeople now have to pay,” he said.

• UPDATED: Council gives go-ahead for new "superclub"

“We’re booking some expensive acts and we’re bringing some very expensive DJs to the town to make the venue much more of an entertainment-led venue.

“The town should be pleased that people like Jim Beedham and myself are prepared to stick their necks on the block and try and get the town to be busier again at night.

“The fact of the matter is the night-time economy is in massive decline. It’s stale and we’re trying to inject some new life into it by bringing superstar DJs into Bournemouth. We’re not just opening up our doors and trying to get people as drunk as possible, we’re trying to create something that people can be proud of.”

He said the acts being booked for the new joint venue included Professor Green, Tinchy Stryder, Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong and Calvin Harris.

Cllr Andrew Morgan, chair of the town’s licensing committee, said the operators had agreed a long list of strict operating conditions, including hiring a welfare office to look out for vulnerable clubbers and funding a new CCTV camera.

“This is not a new club, it is two becoming one with a single point of entry so there won’t be people spilling out into a residential area,” he said. “If they don’t keep to their conditions they will come back to us for review.”