By Safira Ali

Last updated at 12:20, Friday, 27 June 2008

A WEST CUMBRIAN nightclub closed this week after the company which ran it went into administration.

Fusion nightclub

Thirty staff lost their jobs when the Workington nightclub, Fusion, shut its doors on Wednesday.

CanDu Entertainment Limited ran the club for three years but went into administration on March 20. Its assets were taken over by Company Time Limited, which has been reviewing the clubs CanDu owned. Bosses decided not to take the club on this week for financial reasons.

The former manager of the club said the decline was a combination of reasons, but mainly the credit crunch.

John Covell told the News & Star: “It has been affected by the credit crunch, the smoking ban, and everyone else in Workington is getting a late licence so fewer people were coming to Fusion. We used to be the only club open until 3am. The rent increased in the last few years and people are spending more money on cheap beer at the supermarkets than coming out.”

He added: “The company which was looking at taking it on has decided to close it.

“They have pulled out over the high rents. CanDu has been in administration since March. Company Time Ltd have shut it down now because they had to sort things out with the rents and rates.”

A Company Time Limited spokesman confirmed this morning: “Originally CanDu entertainment went into administration. Its assets were acquired by Company Time Limited. The company had the ability to choose certain venues which it would take over. There were a number of clubs looked at.

“This week the company decided Fusion was not one of the ones it would take over. It remains with CanDu entertainment. The decision was made for business reasons. It has taken this amount of time because we have been in negotiations since March.”

First published at 12:15, Friday, 27 June 2008
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk