Aberdeen venues rumoured to be entertaining known criminals on premises.

Two of Aberdeen’s busy night time venues face closure after police claimed they were run by a man allegedly linked to an organised crime syndicate.

Aberdeen licensing board voted to revoke the licence of Aurum Nightclub and Society Bar and Restaurant, situated on Union Street, in fourteen days.

The decision was made on the grounds of failing to prevent crime and disorder in both venues following allegations that the owner of the building, Kirk Harrison, is linked to ‘known criminals’. In Aurum’s case it was also said to be in the name of public safety, after door staff were accused of serious assault.



Police informed the licensing board of six incidents handled incorrectly involving the door staff.

Aurum Aberdeen - accused of entertaining criminals

Mr Harrison said he was aware of two incidents which happened in April. He claimed that upon the second incident general manager at the time, Carolina Carleschi replaced the door staff involved.

Mr Harrison said “We co-operated fully with police at the time and when we told them that we had replaced the doormen they were completely happy with that.
We don’t even know if the other four incidents happened, they’re not in our incident book and the police didn’t contact us at the time. They simply quoted [to the licensing board] that people had been in to see them but produced no statements.
The pressure has come from the police; they are targeting me through the licensing board because none of these accusations would stand up in a court of law.”

On the grounds of failing to prevent crime and disorder it was alleged that Mr Harrison entertains ‘known criminals’ in the venues. All of the individuals which the police listed as known criminals are welcome in any night time venue in Aberdeen which is involved in the Unight programme. Unight is a partnership of Aberdeen’s late night venues which work together to make venues safer.

Mr Harrison produced 15 affidavits from staff and three of the supposed known criminals stating their criminal records, if any, to the licensing board.  Harrison said “They tried to imply that criminals come to the premises because of me and that they receive special treatment while they’re here which is not true. It’s ridiculous.

They’ve just tried to find some of my friends with a slight criminal record and decided that they are ‘known criminals’.”
Lauren Pirie, supervisor of Aurum nightclub said the allegations regarding criminals being entertained in the club were absurd: “There is a huge police presence in Aurum, they are in the premises often and if there was anything to be seen they would see it and have provided evidence to the licensing board.”

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Scottish licensing laws state: “It is hoped that, in the majority of cases, transgressions will be resolved before there is a need for Boards to apply sanctions”. 

The nightclub and bar are not Mr Harrison’s main source of income. His career lies in financial services, while the bar and nightclub were a side project. Mr Harrison is not the license holder of Society and Aurum. Despite this, the licensing board believe that he is the main decision maker in the running of the venues.

Society and Aurum employ between 40 and 50 members of staff which the licensing board will force into unemployment over these allegations.

Society Restaurant and Bar, owned by Mr Harrison.