‘We’re not closing, we were hacked’, says club
Announcement went up on nightspot’s social media accounts
One of Kent’s biggest nightclubs claims a notification of its permanent closure was published by hackers.
A message was posted on Gallery’s Facebook and Instagram pages just after 9pm last Wednesday saying it was closing for good. The listings section of its website says there are no upcoming events.
But a spokesman for the nightspot, in Maidstone’s Bank Street, said: “It is with great disappointment that somebody has hacked into the Facebook account of Gallery Nightclub and has posted some fake news. Gallery is currently closed but not permanently.”
Both posts have since been taken down but it is unknown when the club will reopen. Gallery had its licence suspended in 2019 following a suspected murder.
Andre Bent, 21, was fatally stabbed in a brawl in Jubilee Square, Maidstone, following a performance by rapper MoStack at the club last August. Thirteen people will go on trial this year, including a 16-year-old boy accused of Mr Bent’s murder. Gallery’s premises licence was suspended the following month, but reinstated by the council on the basis bosses met 22 agreed conditions, including making sure all visitors were scanned for knives.
It reopened on Halloween under new management, but the nightclub’s owner, Century Buildings (Rochester) Limited, applied for a shadow licence protecting the landlord from any future licensing constraints placed upon its tenants.
That was granted earlier this month. Neighbours who previously objected to the shadow licence withdrew their dissent before the hearing began. Century Buildings Rochester Limited’s agent declined our request for comment.