Chorus of protest over plan for club

A UNI V ERSI T Y ba nd is a mong t he chor us of objections against plans to turn a campus concert hall into a clubbing venue.

Dundee University Students Association wants permission to hold late-night clubbing and gambling events at Bonar Hall.

It is seeking permission to open until 2.30am throughout the week and until 3am on Friday and Saturday, and to boost the number of people allowed inside from 600 to 1,100.

The city’s licensing board will meet today to discuss the application.

Nine members of the Dundee University Concert Band have independently submitted objections.

Susan Sneddon said: “As director of the concert band for the best part of 10 years and (having) rehearsed in the building for the past two, I feel it’s inappropriate. It would be a great loss.”

Meanwhile, city environment officers are opposed to the move because it includes a plan to install 16 portable loos at the rear fire exit as the venue does not accommodate 1,100 people with regard to sanitary provision.

Ruth Ewing, senior environmental health officer, said: “Accessing these in the rain, all year round, is not acceptable.”

West Enders have also formally objected to the plans on the grounds of “public nuisance”.

In a letter sent on behalf of his firm TGC Leisure by solicitor Janet Hood, nightclub boss Tony Cochrane said the combination of loud music and late night opening would “disturb residents, prevent residents from sleeping and cause stress”.

In addition, TGC claims the lack of a nearby taxi rank would disturb others along the Perth Road – and negatively affect other nightclubs.

The Dundee Rep Theatre, which backs onto the Bonar Hall from Tay Square, is also opposed.

Executive director Liam Sinclair says approving the plans “may increase issues of drug-dealing and drug-taking” and cause “noise and disturbance for The Rep and its audiences”.

DUSA has previously said the application would allow for “maximum utilisation” of Bonar Hall, and that later events would be run on an occasional, “one-off” basis.

It was contacted for further comment.

There are plans in place to use the university’s Bonar Hall as a nightclub.