A HEREFORD nightclub owner fears for the future after claiming he is being “victimised.”

West Mercia Police has applied for a licence review of Mamma Jammas after officers said they were repeatedly called to the venue.

Officers say a number of issues connected to the West Street club – the only in Hereford to remain open until 4am – have “undermined the licensing objectives in preventing crime and disorder”.

Some 41 incidents are recorded as being connected with the venue between January 2014 and February 2015.

But Jonathan Jones, the owner and designated premises supervisor, does not believe the figures paint an accurate picture and said any moves to make the club close earlier could bring about its demise.

He said: “Some of the crimes we think are pretty harsh against us. Three were actually people on HAND bans that we refused and we also stopped someone using someone else’s ID but they’re recorded against us.”

Two serious incidents, which prompted the call for the review, took place at Mamma Jammas after 4am on February 1.

One man is alleged to have sustained serious facial injuries after being elbowed and the matter is currently the subject of a criminal investigation. Another incident, close to that time, is understood to have happened in the entrance to the club.

The review application said both matters were preventable and down to poor management.

But Mr Jones said the club responded quickly to those incidents, changing the whole door team and putting new procedures in place.

He added the club had also voluntarily changed the last entry on the door time from 3am to 2am but an even earlier cut off would leave the club “dead in the water”.

“I feel at the moment we are being victimised,” he said. “I have worked in this industry a long time and I would say the level of crime is the lowest it has ever been.

“With all the pubs and clubs shutting the nightlife is getting quieter and it’s getting harder to make a living. Ideally you wouldn’t have any crime but, unfortunately, the world isn’t like that.”

Jim Mooney, licensing and harm reduction coordinator with West Mercia Police, said the club was not being victimised.

“Police have spoken to Mr Jones and discussed the issues and we have discussed what the police want as a result of the review – which is still in the consultation phase – being submitted,”

“It includes tighter control measures – but not a reduction in licensing hours – to prevent people causing problems when leaving the venue or coming from other venues. We are trying to put proper control measures in place to promote the licensing objectives.”