A Burton town centre nightclub has kept its licence despite police allegations of assaults and disorder - and has now closed for six weeks for a massive facelift.

Allure in Station Street is shutting its doors to allow for a complete rebranding and a new name, costing tens of thousands of pounds.

The nightclub, in Station Street, will reopen in May and will be renamed Camino – Spanish for change, as it takes on a new director who is hoping to provide a new, safer environment for its customers.

It was previously revealed that Allure nightclub was facing criticism from police over the alleged behaviour of some of its customers.

Officers claimed that, despite being made aware of police concerns, the club had been unable to control the behaviour of some customers and address issues of alleged crime and disorder and public safety in particular.

Allure on Station Street in Burton
Allure was the subject of a licensing meeting

The concerns led to Staffordshire Police calling for a review of the club's licence which was discussed at East Staffordshire Borough Council’s licensing committee at Burton Town Hall on Wednesday, March 21.

The hearing was a private meeting due to ongoing police investigations connected with alleged disorder at the club but the Burton Mail understands its licence remains in place with extra stipulations.

New director Gabriel Roderiques, who has recently taken on management of the club, has admitted there had been problems with the venue but said he hoped to turn things around with a new look and new music.

He said: “We still have our full licence with stipulations on that licence but since I have taken over as director and general manager recently these stipulations are already being adhered to.

“Unfortunately because of the incidents that occurred at Allure it is best to scrap the name and start again. Allure has been open a year and it has that name attached to it.”

Mr Roderiques said the club would be moving away from urban music and is set to provide a wider range of entertainment, including a disco provided by Brutus Gold Love Trains – an interactive disco company.

He added: “We want to change the market. We are looking for a different atmosphere, moving away from urban to more disco and house, and more commercial urban.

“We want to provide a safer environment. Love Trains is interactive so it is not just fun music, there are stage acts and they get people up on stage.

“Burton has a thriving night-time economy. We are not trying to re-invent the wheel but we want to tweak a few areas.

“Our strap line is Time for Change.”

Having only been in place for a few weeks, Mr Roderiques is already putting his stamp on the club and will be moving the smoking area from the front of the premises to the rear.

Staffordshire Police objects to the temporary opening times due to claims of disorder

The 39-year-old said: “When I visited Burton, I noticed Allure didn’t have a decent smoking area. And a nightclub must have a decent smoking area - it is one of the key things. So we are moving it from the front of the building, knocking through a back wall and creating a smoking area at the back.


“From an operational point of view that is better but also from a security point of view.

“Because of my operational experience I looked at different brands and as a result we can move forward with a new name, a new feel and a new vibe. We will also be holding the odd charity event.

“Allure has a large open room which is a strength but is also a big weakness because you are just hit by noise, lights and a big space. So if you have only just opened and you have only about 100 people in there it just doesn’t work, so we are going to have more seating and other dance floors and make it look friendly.”

Both Mr Roderiques and the club’s owner Peter Watmough confirmed big changes had been needed at the venue.

Mr Roderiques, who has a background of running large events in Manchester and London with 400 security staff under him, said: “2018 was always about change, there have been some badly managed incidents in the past, and the new team are being trained the same way I was.

"This includes strict guidelines focused on the safety, the quality, and some of the greatest customer service in the area, we will be a customer-centric party destination for the East Staffordshire area.”

The venue is also hoping to build a partnership with local colleges, including creating internships within the company, and with London-based spirit producer Diageo.

Club bosses said it would be working closely with the council and the police ‘to define a new level of quality night time entertainment.'

A new programme of events is currently being designed including international DJs. Talks are also underway with MTV for its relaunch, scheduled for Thursday, May 3.

East Staffordshire Borough Council declined to discuss the details of the licensing committee hearing.