“BOTTLE PARTIES”

Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1935, Page 7

“BOTTLE PARTIES”

PROMOTERS FEAR LAW ACTION

LONjuuN, November 20.

London’s “bottle party” promoters fear the police have found a loophole iji the armour they had believed impregnable, and that Monday’s police ease, in which £298 was imposed in fines, has sounded the death knell of their businesses.

“It will be recalled that four people were charged with “authorising tne supply of liquor in an unregistered clut>, and aiding and abetting a wine merchant to sell drinks during non-per-mitted hours.” Two others were charg. ed with selling the liquor.”

The man behind one of the ~ West End’s most successful “bottle party” haunts said yesterday :

“I am afraid that the authorities have hit on the flaw in the ‘bottle party’ scheme in the very wording of the charge. “We thought we were unassailable because we arranged for our patrons to sign orders on wine merchants for drinks to be sent in. It seems we were wrong. This looks like being the death of the most prosperous idea in nightlife entertaining for years. “I think we can regard Monday’s case as a test case. I have little doubt that it is a preliminary to many others of the same kind.

“Each evening since the case my club, and others, have received visits from police officers.”

“They have come openly and departed without making any move, but I am convinced that it will not be long bebefore they do.”

Disclosures over a period of many weeks, of the vast profits made at the “bottle parties” raised the first fears among the promoters. At the moment London has more than 200 of these allnight drinking haunts.