MichelleDice nightclub owner Roy Seda told the publication that police have sent undercover officers into his establishment to ensure his DJs were not playing the genre, whose stars include Vybz Kartel and Lady Saw.
Though Croydon’s borough commander Andy Tarrant has denied that the genre, also known as dancehall, has been banned, Seda claims he has been told he cannot play music for fear of losing his licence.
The businessman says he has even been forced to make his DJs sign contracts promising to steer clear of the genre, but has decided to speak up because “this isn’t right”.
“Every week customers come up to me and ask why we’ve stopped playing bashment music,” he said.
“They don’t understand. They think I’m racist. All I can say is I am really sorry but the Metropolitan Police has told us [not to play bashment] and, if we don’t, I will lose my licence. Someone has to stand up and say this isn’t right.
“People deserve to know what’s happening,” he said.
Croydon Council, the licensing authority, said it was unaware of the police’s actions and said a ban could only be actioned with their permission.
However, The Croydon Advertiser claim they were passed minutes, written by a police officer, from a meeting between Seda, licensing officers and chief inspector Petere McGarry, which references an agreement “not to play bashman or John Paul [sic] (bashment or Sean Paul)” and how the Dice Bar was “not adhering to the music policy.”
Recalling one incident, the entrepreneur said: “We had a flyer which said R&B, garage, house, bashment and hip hop and I was advised to remove the word bashment because chart and commercial music is considered safer.”
He said he “couldn’t believe” borough commander Andy Tarrant said there was no ban on certain types of music.
“Of course there is,” he said. “I have to deal with it every week. We’re repeatedly told we could be closed down of we play bashment music.
“We made them (DJs) sign contracts to say they can’t play bashment music, that they will not be paid and will be fired.”
He told the publication he has had to sack a DJ and has been accused by cutomers of being racist
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