A pivotal hearing is scheduled for August 26 to determine whether a club in Wolverhampton’s Stafford Street can reopen after its previous licence was revoked due to illegal employment practices.
The venue, formerly known as Calif Bar, had its licence withdrawn earlier this year by Wolverhampton Council after investigations revealed the employment of an illegal worker. The owner, Mr Idahor, was subsequently found to have demonstrated a “total lack of compliance with rules and regulations,” leading the council to declare him unfit to manage the premises.
Following the closure, an application has been submitted to reopen the club under a new name, Vivant Lounge, with proposed operating hours from 11am until 5am. The application was presented by Lucky Iguodala, who will appear before the council’s licensing committee to address ongoing concerns.
The council delayed their July decision to allow Mr Iguodala to respond to objections raised by the West Midlands Fire Service, which deemed the club’s fire safety risk assessments “not suitable or sufficient.” In addition, West Midlands Police have expressed reservations and recommended that the venue’s closing time be limited to 2am.
The club is located within the council’s ‘cumulative impact zone,’ an area recognised for its higher levels of crime, disturbances, and a dense concentration of pubs, clubs, late-night venues, and takeaways. This designation subjects new licence applications to more stringent scrutiny, with applicants required to demonstrate that their business will not exacerbate existing issues.
The original closure followed a significant fine of £45,000 imposed last year after Home Office immigration enforcement discovered that a chef employed at Calif Bar did not have the right to work in the UK. Despite the fine, it remains unpaid, and the club was placed into liquidation by Mr Idahor in September after he was unable to meet this and a separate £14,000 fine relating to hygiene violations in 2022.
Investigations revealed that the staff member in question had overstayed a visiting visa valid from September 2007 to March 2008 and had never been authorised to work. Despite providing false personal details during the Home Office inspection, the individual eventually admitted to having worked irregularly as a chef for around a year.
Contradictory statements from Mr Idahor emerged during the inquiry; he initially claimed the staff member worked for approximately two months on an irregular basis and that he was unaware of her lack of work rights, despite having viewed a page from her passport.
The hearing in late August will be crucial in determining the future of the club amid these ongoing licensing, safety, and legal considerations.