The municipality guys came down about 12.30am and told them to turn off the music - people continued to dance without music for about half an hour. It was the first free-standing venue, but I think the door policy wasn't conducive to an international atmosphere. Regular clubbers say The Lodge was well known for its racist door policy, as were many others. Now it is under a different owner and different management. But for many in the club industry, while the market has changed, with dance music bringing nationalities closer together, the issue is still far from clear cut.
Managers recognise that they still have a hard balancing act in relation to ethnicity and gender.
The source is in no doubt that a stringent door policy is essential to the health of any club. There is going to be a very harsh door policy. If anyone gets barred from Fibbers or the Diamond Club, they will be barred for life. Whatever club can look after the women and maintain a good door policy is where everyone wants to go. And that is where the trouble starts - because of the mixture of nationalities.