A BOLTON nightclub facing a licensing review for disorder has brought in new doorstaff, many of whom have military or police backgrounds.

The new staff at Vogue in Bradshawgate say they will focus on calming rather than aggravating problems.

Their uniforms are fitted with cameras to record incidents and they also have first-aid skills.

Vogue has brought in Global Union Security Services to operate the doors, and is led by Bolton-raised Durant Williams, aged 43, who spent 25 years in the army.

He said: “We have been drafted in to different venues in Bolton by the owners including Guiseppe Granata, who owns bars including Vogue and Maloney’s, which is being refurbished.

We’ll also be working at Lush, also in Bradshawgate, when it reopens in a few weeks following the fire.

“I’m normally based in Kenya but I’ll be back in Bolton for six weeks. Many of our staff have military or police background and typically work on terrorism and piracy security work.

But because I’m from Bolton I was interested in this project.

My dad worked on the doors in Bolton in the past and my brother does now.

“At Vogue in the past, the control, command and leadership of door staff was not great. The people weren’t bad but their appearance was often unprofessional, with boots on and their hoods up.

“We specialise in conflict management rather than being aggressive. We’re regimented with procedures and rules. It’s a new concept and we’re very confident it will good for Bolton.”

Global Union does similar work in places including Wigan, Blackburn, Leeds and Sheffield, he said.

Vogue owner Mr Granata said: “We think this will be a much better arrangement and are hopeful it will satisfy the council’s licensing committee.”

Bolton Council is formally reviewing Vogue’s premises licence. It said the grounds for the application were the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and the prevention of public nuisance.

In a recent public notice, it said there had been a recent incident of disorder involving doorstaff committing crime themselves. This was also witnessed by Mr Granata, it said, who is the designated premise supervisor. The notice claimed he stood by without intervening.

The council said doorstaff had not provided public safety.

The bar was also responsible for instances of serious customer disorder. It suffered from high levels of incidents, which have a severe impact on police resources across the town due to the opening times. More importantly, the council said the incidents caused nuisance on the streets that cause alarm and distress to residents and visitors.

Bolton Council’s licensing sub committee is expected to consider the club’s licence at a meeting in early May.