A nightclub beneath a North London Mediterranean restaurant has been shut down after four men were stabbed on its dancefloor in May.
By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter
A nightclub beneath a North London Mediterranean restaurant has been shut down after four men were stabbed on its dancefloor in May.
The four men, aged between 23 and 29, were hospitalised after being attacked at around 3am below Islington’s Gem Restaurant on May 16. The injuries were not life-threatening but the police said one victim’s face wound was “potentially life-changing”.
The suspect, Mr Firat Kaygun, 45, of Biggerstaff Street, Islington, was later arrested and charged with four counts of grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon in connection with the incident. He appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, May 19 and was remanded in custody ahead of his trial date at Snaresbrook Crown Court, set for March 2027.
But Islington Council has now stripped the downstairs basement club, ‘Hidden Gem’, of its licence following the operator’s “grave failure”.
The venue’s manager, Mr Eyup Ozturk, was also arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice following an allegation that he had deleted CCTV footage from the premises following the disorder. He was bailed pending further enquiries, according to a council report. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands he has not been charged, but the Metropolitan Police declined to add further information.
The Met had urged the council to revoke the premises licence amid accusations that staff obstructed the police’s investigation. After initially suspending the licence, on Monday, June 15 Islington’s Licensing Sub-Committee met to discuss whether to revoke the licence altogether.
Prior to the stabbing incident, the council had received reports of noise nuisance and indoor smoking at the club and investigated. Council licensing officers claimed that during one visit Mr Ozturk blocked them from entering the basement, though adding that he eventually relented and let them in.
But May’s knife attacks triggered a flurry of letters from residents lobbying the council to revoke the licence, including from the building’s landlord, who raised fears about further serious crime and safety risks.
On Friday (June 19) the council confirmed it had allowed the restaurant to keep its licence – but it has imposed several strict conditions on the venue, including shutting down the basement club. Committee members had “no confidence” in Mr Ozturk, who has been replaced as the premises supervisor and indefinitely banned from having any day-to-day management role at Gem.
The restaurant is also banned from selling alcohol to patrons past midnight on the weekends and after 11pm on weekdays. All live music – amplified or acoustic – is prohibited.
The LDRS contacted Mr Ozturk for comment.
