Garibaldis, a club in Edinburgh’s New Town, was subject to a license review on 24 March, resulting in losing its license and being forced to close for one month.
Edinburgh Council Licensing Board have enacted a probation period, with the club being forced to close at 1am, rather than 3am, for four months once re-opened, as well as a reduction in capacity from 180 to 135.
The Hanover Street club, nicknamed Gari’s, which has a reputation among the Edinburgh student population as “lively, but chaotic”, has become a cause for concern for Edinburgh City Council.
The review, put forward by Police Scotland, cites failure to “secure public safety”, “prevent crime and disorder,” and “protect children and young persons from any harm.”
Incidences of concern given by Police Scotland included the admittance of underaged teens into the venue, with a 17-year-old girl found intoxicated outside after being removed by staff.
Sebastian Ossywa, one owner of Garibaldis, told the Council he was considering ID scanners, as well as retraining staff upon reopening.
Violence from staff was also a cause for concern, with one member of staff charged for striking a customer in the face.
This follows many reports of bouncer violence within Edinburgh, which one student described as:
“Terrifying, especially when their role is to protect you. Hearing about the issues at Gari’s has put me off going there again.”
Most students, when asked, spoke of the “dodgy” reputation that Gari’s has, with the venue overcrowded and hot, whilst lacking safety precautions when compared to other clubs, such as Subway Cowgate, who provide drinks covers and turn people away when capacity is reached.
Garibaldis did not respond to a request for a comment, although their website currently states “refurbishment” as the reason for closure.
“Reykjavik’s nightlife” by Helgi Halldórsson/Freddi is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
