A RIVERSIDE nightclub could lose its licence after complaints of drunken and lewd behaviour by students fuelled by the sale of its infamous “quaddies”.

Questions of student drinking culture comes in the wake of the deaths of three students in the River Wear, in Durham.

Klute was where Durham University student Sope Peters told friends he would be drinking before he drowned in October 2013.

Durham Constabulary’s case for calling in Klute’s licence by Durham County Council, cites quaddies – two double vodkas with mixers brought together - as part of the problem.

The quaddies were introduced when the club opened in October 2014 and police say bar owner Tokyo Industries have been reluctant to stop selling them.

It a written witness statement, Sergeant Tim Robson of the force’s Alcohol Reduction Unit describes numerous encounters with drunken students.

One who was taken to a place of safety was so intoxicated that, when he sobered up, he did not know where he had been that night.

Another student was found waiting to pay for 10 Jaeger bombs lined up on the bar. He told police they were for friends – but they were not at the bar with him.

In another instance Sgt Robson came across three drunken women in the street - one of whom was incapable of walking on her own.

Sgt Robson said: “She admitted that she and the others had just been in Klute and she had consumed two quaddies – eight measures of vodka. She was quite shocked she had drunk two separate quaddies.”

The woman collapsed a short distance away as her friends took her to the taxi and was helped to safety by Sgt Robson.

He said: “Durham City has in excess of 16,000 students and it is an expectation in the city that the premises selling alcohol must do so in responsible manner.”

Anna Lynch, director of public health for County Durham, said: “Klute nightclub prides itself on its reputation from the late 1990s of being voted the worst nightclub in Europe and continues to promote itself as such.

“It would appear that Klute is a premises where students, if they are not already drunk when they enter the premises, drink to get drunk quickly.”

Supporter Stephen Brown claims the bar is being targeted after the deaths of the three students and licensed premises should not be held accountable for student safety.

No one from Tokyo Industries was available for comment.

The committee will meet at County Hall at 10am on June 1 to discuss the review.