08/08/2026
A Statement From Blues Cabaret & Karaoke Bar
We have seen the reports published this morning regarding the licensing review into Blues and, quite honestly, we feel we need to say something publicly.
First and foremost, our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of the man who tragically lost his life following the incident on 11 July. Nothing we say can change what happened that night, and we will always acknowledge the seriousness and sadness surrounding what took place.
However, we cannot sit back and allow a number of statements and descriptions now being circulated publicly to become accepted as the complete and undisputed version of events.
They are not.
The licensing hearing was a complex process involving a huge amount of information, evidence, submissions and discussion. What is now being reported publicly represents, in significant part, the concerns and allegations put forward during that process. It does not necessarily reflect the full evidence, the circumstances on the night, the actions taken by our staff, or the work that has taken place behind the scenes since.
We are particularly concerned by the impression being created that nobody took control, that our staff simply allowed events to continue and that the business showed no concern for what was happening.
That is not the picture we recognise from our own records, our staff accounts and the evidence available to us.
Our team were faced with an extremely serious and distressing situation. Emergency services were contacted, police and paramedics attended, and our staff cooperated with the emergency response and subsequent investigation.
We have also fully cooperated with Greater Manchester Police throughout their investigation. CCTV was provided and made available without delay, and we have assisted the authorities whenever requested.
We appreciate that people reading a headline such as “bar customers danced as medics tried to save dying man” will understandably be shocked and angry.
But a headline cannot explain the circumstances of an unfolding emergency, what individual staff members knew at each moment, the instructions being given by emergency services, or the actions taken before, during and after the incident.
There is always far more to an incident of this magnitude than can be captured in a few paragraphs.
We also want to be very clear about something else.
The licensing process has now concluded with our premises licence remaining in place.
We have accepted a three-month period of closure, during which we will undertake significant remedial work, improvements and changes to the way the premises operates.
We are not running away from this.
We are using this period to reset, improve and come back stronger.
We have listened to the concerns raised. We have invested heavily already, and we will continue to invest in CCTV, security, management procedures, staff training, compliance and the overall operation of the premises.
When Blues returns, it will return with a renewed focus on safety, professionalism and strong management.
We have worked incredibly hard to build this business. We have employed local people, supported entertainers and performers, invested in the venue and created a place that thousands of people have enjoyed.
We will not allow one terrible night to erase everything that came before it, nor will we allow the public narrative to suggest that we simply don’t care.
We care enormously.
We care about our customers.
We care about our staff.
We care about the safety of everyone who walks through our doors.
And we care deeply about what happened on 11 July.
There will inevitably be people who have already made up their minds based upon what they have read today. We respect everyone’s right to have an opinion.
But we ask people to remember that there are two sides to every story, and that a licensing hearing is not the same thing as a criminal trial or a finding that every allegation reported in the media is an established fact.
For legal reasons, there are certain matters we cannot discuss in detail publicly. We will not compromise any ongoing proceedings, investigations or the rights of anyone involved simply to respond to social media commentary.
What we can say is that we are still here.
Our licence remains in place.
Our business remains in place.
Our team remains committed.
And over the next three months we will be working relentlessly to make Blues safer, stronger and better than ever.
To everyone who has supported us throughout the last few weeks — our customers, staff, friends, family, performers and the people who have continued to believe in us thank you.
We know there has been an enormous amount of speculation, negativity and uncertainty surrounding Blues.
But this isn’t the end of our story.
This is our reset.
We will be back in November.
And when those doors open again, we will be ready to welcome you back.
Blues Cabaret & Karaoke Bar
