The fate of a south Essex nightclub will be decided by council chiefs tonight amid police and council criticisms over the way it is being run.

Yum Yum nightclub in Paycocke Road, Basildon - formerly Monroe's - has applied to renew its public entertainment licence.

The application, to be heard at Basildon Council's central area committee, also aims to transfer the licence from the owner to the manager.

However, police say there have been a number of breaches of the licence conditions and questions over the doorstaff when they visited, councillors will be told in a report.

On March 27, 1999 police found the nightclub was using unregistered doorstaff and no accurate number of clubbers was kept.

Police visited a few weeks later and found the container for holding drugs and weapons - known as a "sinbin" - was not secured to the wall.

It could only be emptied by tipping it upside down and shaking it as the key had been lost, the police report added.

Police argue that while the manager, Ray Kissoon, was not the public entertainment licence holder at the time of the breaches, he was acting as liquor licensee and as a manager throughout that time.

Council officers also found there were no safety certificates provided for emergency lighting, electrical wiring, fire-fighting equipment and no CO2 fire extinguisher in the DJ booth.

In addition, there was no evidence of food being served - despite it being a requirement of the special hours certificate - and the club was "not maintained in a good state of repair and decoration". Mr Kissoon told the Echo that the club, which changed its name three months ago, now employed an established door company which the police themselves hold in high regard.

He added that plastic drinking glasses have been introduced, no bottles can be sold over the bar and the "sinbin" was being moved to a more appropriate location.

A cook was also available at all times and all lighting, wiring and fire extinguishers had been examined and certificates were pending.

He said: "We have done our best to make the club a safe environment for the public.

"We have just made a large investment in renaming and decorating the club.

"It is not a threatening place and we have no more trouble than any other well-run and respected nightclub in town."

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