The End Of Provenance?

Provenance nightclub is having its license reviewed and faces being shut down due to a multitude of violent incidents over the past year.

Describing themselves as “the newest premier night club in Southampton” and playing host to Gossip, Disclosure and the controversial C-U-N-T (See You Next Term) event, Provenance, located on Above Bar Street, prides itself in being more tasteful than other student hang-outs, like Jesters. However, the 3 storey nightclub, home to 12 VIP booths, is now the centre of attention surrounding high crime rates in and around the club.

Hampshire Constabulary has called for the license to be reviewed under the Licensing Act 2003 on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety.

When Provenance took over from The Square Balloon in July last year, it was agreed that it would be aimed at over 25s and that it would not offer bargain drink promotions. Upon applying for a licence, it was stated that £250,000 would be spent on renovation to improve not only the state of the building but the clientèle base too.

It was suggested that the mature custom would reduce crime instead of adding to the cumulative impact already being experienced in the area. However, since then, Provenance has seen the majority of its custom from university students, and is known by many to be the last stop on the student event ‘Carnage’ with drink prices as low as £1 and where cocktails come in buckets. 

Since re-opening, the 1,250 capacity nightclub has had 21 incidents (between September 19th 2012 and March 13th 2013), 7 more than when it was The Square Balloon (between September 2011 and March 14th 2012). Said incidents include a 19 year old male being taken to hospital after being bottled on the dance floor and a 19 year old girl who collapsed just outside, both on the same night in October which was also the night of Carnage.

There have been 4 other reported cases of people being hit over the head with glass, an assault where a man was left unconscious and several fights, thus highlighting a serious problem. All of the incidents are being used by the police as evidence that there are high levels of disorder surrounding the club.

The blame of these cases has been placed upon the ease of binge drinking.

Although the establishment has recently played host to a trio of Easter events, there have been several suggestions from the police to increase safety, including: new and more CCTV cameras, more staff training and the use of plastic over glass where possible. In addition, it was also highlighted by the police that the current door staff-to-customer ratio is too low. The police are not critical of the work done by the door staff, just that there are not enough of them. A condition states that after 8pm the ratio of door staff to customers should be 1:100 and it is the manager’s duty to ensure that this is complied to.

The final decision has not yet been decided but the police feel that drastic change would be needed and so are urging that the nightclub’s license be annulled. The fate of Provenance will be decided later in the year.

The Provenance management did not reply to our request for comment