BouncerOnline: News

The owner of a Beckley nightclub that city police say was a notorious location for violence has surrendered the club’s liquor license, according to state alcohol control officials.

Mary White, the listed owner of Club Attraction on South Fayette Street, met with officials from the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration on March 15 and surrendered the club’s liquor license, said Gig Robinson, ABCA spokesman. Another woman was listed on the club’s license, but she died in December 2006. Robinson said White was cooperative during the meeting.

“We came to the cooperative understanding that in that area, there were concerns about violence and different things going on,” Robinson said.

Recent incidents reported near Club Attraction included beatings and gunfire.

With the liquor license surrendered, this means Club Attraction can remain open, but it cannot sell alcoholic beverages, Robinson said. Whether the club was still open or closed down was unknown.

“Clubs where most gross sales are alcoholic beverages, operating without a license would be hard-pressed to make ends meet,” Robinson mused.

Police have noted the area around the club is much quieter — and that was not the case before the license was surrendered.

“Before the license was surrendered at Club Attraction, we handled constant complaints from citizens, and the police officers were down there all the time,” Capt. Tomi Peck said. “There were calls for shots fired, fights, malicious woundings ...”

Peck noted a club without a liquor license can host “private parties” where alcohol beverages are served — just not sold. If such a club is found to be selling the liquor, that is a violation of state law. The alcoholic beverages can then be seized.

Even without Club Attraction in the equation, Peck said that as long as nightclubs are in town, police will have to deal with related problems from some of them. The crowd causing trouble at Club Attraction will likely go to other nightclubs now. But club owners themselves can work to keep problems from happening.

Club owners should have security guards in their parking lots just as they often do inside, Peck said. Altercations often break out after patrons spill onto the parking lot at closing time. These patrons are often intoxicated.

“They should consider all aspects of liability — especially with their parking lots,” she said. “We know that’s often where shots are fired, fights break out and people get hit with crowbars and beer bottles.”

At Tuesday night’s Beckley Common Council meeting, Mayor Emmett Pugh applauded the fact that Club Attraction no longer had a license. Before the club opened, Pugh said, management told city officials the club would not be a nuisance.

“It was a nuisance,” Pugh said. “Things were happening between 3 to 4 a.m. that shouldn’t have been happening.

“My intention is that nothing else will go in that location. We don’t need it. We don’t want it. We don’t need the frustration of it.”