Wolverhampton's De Fusion Bar Seeks Extended Hours After Past Suspension
A city centre club in Wolverhampton has submitted an application to extend its opening hours until 5.30am, marking a significant move after facing a licence suspension last year. De Fusion Bar and Restaurant, located on Exchange Street, is seeking permission to play live and recorded music until 5.30am and sell alcohol until 5.15am daily.
Previous Licence Breaches and Suspension
The venue currently operates until 3am each day, but it had its licence suspended by the City of Wolverhampton Council for two weeks in April last year. This action followed multiple breaches of licence conditions, including serving alcohol after permitted hours. During a licensing hearing, it was revealed that officers inspected the venue ahead of a Wolverhampton Wanderers home game against Arsenal in January, finding serious violations.
Key issues identified included:
- Failure to employ door staff before the 3pm kick-off.
- Serving pints in glass instead of plastic glasses, contravening strict safety rules.
- Inadequate staff training and lack of incident logs.
- Insufficient records for maintenance checks and fire risk assessments.
- Absence of drug safety notices and inability to provide CCTV footage within 24 hours.
Owner's Response and Committee Decision
Bar owner Ikenna Orajaka addressed the hearing, admitting to inexperience and mistakes but denying irresponsibility. He explained that the venue had struggled to attract customers for months, making it financially difficult to hire door staff. Orajaka pleaded with the committee not to reduce the closing time to 1am, arguing it would force him out of business. The committee, led by licensing chair Cllr Zee Russell, noted that his presentation was impressive, especially given she had initially described the case as one of the worst she had heard.
Despite Orajaka's efforts to rectify the concerns, the committee ruled the breaches were of a serious nature, warranting the two-week suspension. West Midlands Police supported the licence review, stating the inspection results showed a clear disregard for the licence and highlighting two separate incidents under investigation that raised further management concerns.
Current Application and Future Prospects
The new application to extend hours comes as the venue aims to recover from past setbacks. If approved, it would allow De Fusion Bar to operate significantly later, potentially boosting its business in the competitive city centre nightlife scene. The outcome will depend on council deliberations, considering the venue's history and ongoing police investigations presented in a private session during the April hearing.
This development underscores the challenges faced by small businesses in the hospitality sector, balancing regulatory compliance with economic survival. Residents and authorities will be watching closely as the council reviews this request, weighing public safety against support for local enterprises.
