The manager of a popular club that is frequented by reality TV stars has apologised after dozens of New Year’s Ever party-goers fell ill with the Norovirus after ringing in 2020 at the famed Essex venue.
Nightclub Sugar Hut is famous for hosting Brentwood locals and the cast of ITV show The Only Way is Essex, but many who visited the club earlier this week have now been told they may need to ‘provide a sample’ in order to get tested for the winter vomiting bug.
Revellers, who paid £30-a-ticket for the New Year party complained of ‘violent sickness’ 24 hours after the event.
Many took to social media to slam the venue with some having claimed they had ‘thrown up’, and others urging them to ‘contact Environment Health’.
Crowds are seen outside the Essex night club when it relaunched earlier this year
Social media users took to Twitter to complain that they felt unwell after the celebrated New Year at the club
Now after two days of investigations Sugar Hut has apologised to those who attended the party, with its owner sharing a 700 word statement.
Dan Perrin, group music and events director at the club, posted late last night to say this was a personal statement from himself, as if it was a Sugar Hut statement he would probably have to ‘sugar coated’.
He explained that ‘it looks almost certain you have the norovirus’, highlighting ‘this is a contagious virus much like a common cold in that is spreads from person to person not from ice machines, air conditioning units, faulty dishwasher machines or poisoned drinks (to discount a few of the accusations levelled at us over the past few days).’
He also said they would be deep cleaning the club and hit back at customers who ‘got very nasty’.
Statement posted above from Dan Perrin stated that if they wanted a confirmation of their symptoms they would likely need ‘to provide a sample’
The statement was posted with a Tweet which read: ‘Ok guys do this is the full statement. This isn’t just us saying it, it’s also the informed opinion of the authorities which is why it took a while to release. Obviously we won’t ever say something that’s not true and checked this will be our last public comment on it.’
Mr Perrin said: ‘Hey everyone, ‘So this comes from me personally. If it were a Sugar Hut statement I’d probably have to ‘sugar coat’ it a bit but I am on day four of giving up smoking and I have been very disappointed to see some people’s true colours and encouraged by the support of others so I’m going to speak from the heart a bit now.
‘Okay, so first up if you are ill or have been ill since NYE then it looks almost certain you have the Noro virus (also known as the winter vomiting bug). This is also the very likely case in all instances so far which, is also the opinion of the authorities.
‘If you would like confirmation of this for yourself then you will need to provide a sample (ew btw) [sic] to the council very soon as the bug only stays in your system for a few days. That’s the only way to test every case.’
He then went on to share symptoms of the norovirus which he said he had sourced on the NHS website and also highlighted that the venue ‘does not serve food’ so the only way people could have got the virus was from ‘person to person or surfaces’.
Many social media users said they hadn’t stopped being sick after the spent New Year at the club
‘You will, I’m sure, have seen that we have cleaners through the night but obviously we can’t clean every surface every time someone touches it anywhere in the venues. Basically it is very annoying and lame but it’s just bad luck and ‘one of those things’.
‘Now, I totally understand it is a nightmare to be ill at the start of the year (or anytime) and can also see why you would assume it is something wrong at the venue. I would probably have jumped to the same conclusion so that’s no problem.
‘Most of you were very cool and reasonable in the circumstances. Obvs [sic] you’re going to be a bit annoyed and I also get that when something like this happens you’re going to make memes (again, I would probably do the same).
‘However, there is a small percentage who got very nasty. Calling for the venue to be shut down on total assumptions is pretty wrong. That is people’s jobs and livelihoods at stake not to mention your local club.’
He added that it was ‘easy’ for people to ‘get away with bullying on social media’, but asked people to remember that there were consequences for their comments.
‘As it turned out, this could have happened anywhere – in your house, at work, wherever.
‘This is the last thing we wanted to happen a month after opening and if you knew the amount of time, money and passion (and literally blood and tears) which goes into creating venues you love then you would know how much it hurts to have so much hate thrown at you when you have done your very very best. That goes for my whole team.
‘If you’ve been ill then hopefully you’re feeling a bit better by now and although it is not something which was under our control we’re sorry that you had to go through it.
‘All that remains to say is that we will of course be deep cleaning and steaming every inch of the club and hopefully can get back to music and fun plans for 2020.
Signing off he thanked his followers for their’ patience and understanding’ and added: ‘I would also like to point out that the restaurant adjoining the club is a separate entity and do some really great food. Please also support them as a local business trying to get off to a good start.’
The bar reopened under new ownership in November after being sold by businessman Mick Norcorss.
Two clubbers previously told EssexLive they had been sent home from work with the bug while one concerned mother said she would be taking her son to hospital if his symptoms didn’t change.
One social media user said: ‘So confused as to why bare people are throwing up including me , after sugar hut nye@sugarhut.’
Another added: ‘OMG anyone else feeling so ill after sugar hut!!!it can’t be just me ffs!!! Gr8 start to new year’