East London Life

The Palace Pavilion nightclub in Hackney will not be allowed to reopen. It was originally closed after a string of 18 or more violent incidents beginning with eighteen year old Warren Graham being knifed to death inside the club in October 2004 during an end of term party and continuing on to nineteen year old Barrington Williams-Samuels being shot outside the club in January 2006.

Over a series of three hearings since that time the case has been argued, and now Thames Magistrates’ Court has issued a permanent injunction, with District Judge Stephen Dawson saying

“It is quite apparent that the operators and managers of this club do not have the capacity to abide by the conditions of their licence,”

“I have no hesitation in thinking that if this licence was allowed to continue to be operated, there would be further serious incidents and further public disruption around the area of this club.”