Farewell Rio’s: Leamington nightclub to be demolished

The demolition of Rio’s nightclub was approved at a planning meeting yesterday, in order to make way for a four-storey block of flats for 46 students.

Officers had pushed for the plan to be refused, because it would cause “unacceptable harm” to the area and adjacent listed buildings due its imposing height. They also claimed that the building would not provide a “satisfactory living environment” for students because of bad lighting and window glazing.

Despite these recommendations, the councillors went against them, and approved the demolition by six votes to three. In fact, Cllr Terry Morris described the club as a “boil on the backside of Leamington”.

Cllr Tony Heath echoed these comments, although he described the entirety of Bedford Street in this way.

He added: “We’re doing our best to centralise good-standard student accommodation – I see the result of HMOs in Brunswick Street and Tachbrook Road every day.

“If we can’t come up with a condition to improve the glazing I think we’re not doing our job properly.

“The whole of that street needs upgrading.”