A party for up to 200 revellers in Digbeth has been blocked after nightclub bosses were accused of trying to flout council rules.

The Monastery bid to host an event for students on all three floors of its rail-side venue on High Street in the early hours of Sunday, September 30.

But Birmingham City Council chiefs were unhappy that it had already held a dozen similar parties this year despite the fact its licence stipulates it can only use the first floor.

A licensing sub committee, which met this week (Monday, September 24), stated the club had 'circumvented' its licence by applying for Temporary Event Notices (TENs) to host events.

The Monastery sits next to a railway track on High Street, Digbeth.
The Monastery sits next to a railway track on High Street, Digbeth.

Cllr Bob Beauchamp, on the committee, said: "You are using TENs for something it was not intended for.

"TENs are for special events. These are just run-of-the-mill events there is nothing special about them.

"You are just using that to get around what has been enforced prior to this."

Safety issues had been previously raised about the ground and second floors.

The current owners obtained a council licence in 2016 but a condition stipulated that only the first floor could be used.

They sought permission to alter the licence and bring the additional space into use last year but the council refused the move.

Co-owner Billy Chauhan said since then they have spent £38,000 renovating the building, which is over 100 years old and named as such because it is a converted monastery.

He argued the two extra floors were now safe and told the committee West Midlands Fire Service had withdrawn their previous objections to its use.

Mr Chauhan added: "These are not just run-of-the-mill events.

"We are gathering evidence to put forward in a new application.

"If we have been refused by the licensing committee previously how can we demonstrate that we can put on these events without causing a public nuisance.

"Our hands are tied."

Co-owner Manny Chauhan added: "We are sorry for the impression we were trying to circumvent the licence.

"We thought it was the norm because we had no licence in that part of the building and we had no other option left to us.

"But what we wanted to do was create a dossier to say this is what we have been doing and can do."

Environmental protection officer Paul Samms told the committee that initially he was 'happy' for the club to host events under permission of TENs but said the council had to change its policy due to other venues abusing the system in order to get around their licence conditions.

West Midlands Police also admitted they had signed off on previous TENs unaware of the club's licence condition restricting entertainment to the first floor.