HEREFORD’S late-night economy has taken another blow with the closure of one of the city’s biggest clubs.

Fusion shut its doors on Saturday night – less than three weeks after The Jailhouse closed.

The announcement that the music would stop at the Commercial Road site for the first time in more than 25 years followed the closure of two city pubs – Watercress Harrys and the Moorfield Inn.

Steve Harrison, who owned the Fusion business as well as a number of other pubs in Hereford, said a cultural change is behind the closures.

He added: “We’ve been there 13 months and we did all sorts of things. We’ve had events like Naughty but Nice, dance nights featuring Lisa Lashes, boxing and live music. We also had DJ Juicy M who pulls in 25,000 plus in Brazil but couldn’t get 400 in Hereford.

“I think there’s not as many people that go out and the ones that do haven’t got the money so the clubs we have are just under-used.”

Dan Guerche, manager of Play Nightclub, pointed the finger at supermarkets for creating the “pre-lash” phenomenon whereby people drink cheap alcohol at home before hitting the town.

“When people drink in pubs and clubs, they have security, management and first aiders to look after them,” he explained.

“But the supermarkets have no responsibility after they have sold the drink.

They just sell sell sell – at minimum profit – to get you to do your weekly shop there.”

Meanwhile, Bromyard DJ and promoter Richard Bayliss said: “The new genera-tion only seem interested in music spoonfed to them by X Factor or Radio 1 and would rather have their photo taken with a reality TVstar than see a skilled band or DJ. Coupled with the assault on pub and club culture which started with the smoking ban, clubs will continue to close all over the country, not just in Hereford.”

Mr Harrison said the 2003 Licensing Act, which allowed pubs to stay open later, brought more problems for nightclubs as punters preferred to end their night at a pub instead of a club.

And he also explained that with council tax and rising rents it was no longer sustainable to keep Fusion, which first opened as Lovejoys in 1989 before also trading under the names of Marilyns, Dusk, Time and Eros, open.

He added: “It’s a great shame because it’s a lovely venue but the problem with Fusion is that it’s a big building and council tax is expensive enough as well as a lot more for the rent.

“When you do the maths you see that it just wasn’t worth continuing.”There could, however, be some good news for those who enjoy being out and about in Hereford during the early hours.

Mr Harrison confirmed plans are under way for a new club – called The Venue – to re-open in place of The Jailhouse towards the end of March.

“It will be re-vamped and be different but at the same time it will retain the credibility and music policy of The Jailhouse,” he said, adding that he will also be applying for a second bar which could cater for under- 18s on certain nights of the week.

Mr Harrison is due to hold a meeting with police this week to discuss the possibility of a variation in the licence.

- What do you think of Fusion’s closure? And is the Hereford night scene going a little flat?

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