by Will Davies The manager of a kinky swingers club, which has been shut down, claims he has been victimised by the council. Soho Beach House, in Kilburn High Road, a club for no-nonsense people wishing to take part in raunchy group se

by Will Davies

The manager of a kinky swingers' club, which has been shut down, claims he has been victimised by the council.

Soho Beach House, in Kilburn High Road, a club for 'no-nonsense' people wishing to take part in raunchy group sex, lost its license last August after fears it was being used as a brothel.

Dutchman Douglas Ifedha, the club's owner, last Thursday lost his appeal to overturn the ruling after breaking the conditions of his licence and drugs were found in the club by police.

He said: "The main reason they closed me down is that they think it's a brothel, but they couldn't mention it in court because the reality is that it is a swingers' club.

"Cllr James King went round houses with flyers trying to get people to say things. There is no evidence people are knocking on their doors looking for sex."

Mr Ifedha said security and CCTV was in place within three weeks of opening and only small traces of drugs were found in the toilets.

He added: "You can't monitor everyone using the toilets. It is cover for them to close me down as they didn't want a swingers' club.

"At normal clubs in Kilburn, police are being called every day. My club had no times when police were called to stop people assaulting each other.

"They imposed strict conditions whereby I must photograph every person coming to the club and take their name. Nobody wants to do that.

"I have respectable people coming to the club - including police officers who get their pants off.

"I am being victimised. They have brought me to my knees so I will probably sell the place. But I will carry on elsewhere as I have other clubs in Marble Arch and Hyde Park."

Cllr King, Kilburn ward, who gave evidence at the hearing, said residents had complained of 'persistent thumping music' in the early hours of the morning outside of permitted hours and people looking for sex knocking on their doors.

He said: "Although there was no evidence this place was used as a brothel, there was no CCTV, no security and evidence of drug use.

"This premises has been a source of disorder and nuisance to residents and traders over the last year, so thankfully we have the right decision."

Male punters paid �120 to gain access to lurid group sex activities which, according to its website, are so wild they are 'only ever seen in X-rated movies.'

PC Rhodri Evans, who has responsibility for the north cluster said: "This decision shows that police will take stern and immediate action against premises that fail to promote the licensing objectives and who refuse to work with police."

w.davies@archant.co.uk