OMEN
02-16-2009, 10:00 PM
The safety of thousands of teenagers was at risk at the Odyssey on Sunday evening, according to the managers of the Pavilion at the complex.
They turned up at the Belfast complex to attend an under-age disco at Bar Seven which could only hold 800 people.
Shane King, who is from the Sheridan group which runs the Pavilion, took the decision to cancel the event.
"There was a potential for injury, people were starting to push in all directions," he said.
Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster Mr King said the Odyssey had been told by the promoter Inferno U it was to be a ticketed event.
However, the promoters said on the Bebo website that partygoers could pay at the door.
"At about 1730 it became apparent to me that there hadn't been tickets sold," he said.
"The promoter had three events over the Christmas and New Year period that all ran very smoothly.
"At 1900 there seemed to be about 3,000 or 4,000 outside the venue on the pavilion floor. It was very hard to see the tiled floor there were that many kids there."
Surge
Mr King said he consulted with the PSNI, Odyssey security and the centre manager before taking the decision to close the venue and clear the building.
"The numbers were so great, there were stairs, there were escalators, and we're dealing with under 18s," he said.
"Were it adults it may have been easier to control, but the best option available was to clear the building.
"Such was the surge that we were being pushed back.
"There are glass-fronted doors to Bar Seven, and were those doors to crack or break, with that crowd pushing the potential for injury was too great."
The event's promoters Inferno U put a brief statement on their Bebo website which said people would be refunded it they kept their wristbands.
BBC
They turned up at the Belfast complex to attend an under-age disco at Bar Seven which could only hold 800 people.
Shane King, who is from the Sheridan group which runs the Pavilion, took the decision to cancel the event.
"There was a potential for injury, people were starting to push in all directions," he said.
Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster Mr King said the Odyssey had been told by the promoter Inferno U it was to be a ticketed event.
However, the promoters said on the Bebo website that partygoers could pay at the door.
"At about 1730 it became apparent to me that there hadn't been tickets sold," he said.
"The promoter had three events over the Christmas and New Year period that all ran very smoothly.
"At 1900 there seemed to be about 3,000 or 4,000 outside the venue on the pavilion floor. It was very hard to see the tiled floor there were that many kids there."
Surge
Mr King said he consulted with the PSNI, Odyssey security and the centre manager before taking the decision to close the venue and clear the building.
"The numbers were so great, there were stairs, there were escalators, and we're dealing with under 18s," he said.
"Were it adults it may have been easier to control, but the best option available was to clear the building.
"Such was the surge that we were being pushed back.
"There are glass-fronted doors to Bar Seven, and were those doors to crack or break, with that crowd pushing the potential for injury was too great."
The event's promoters Inferno U put a brief statement on their Bebo website which said people would be refunded it they kept their wristbands.
BBC