A nightclub in Altrincham town centre has been shut down permanently after Trafford Council revoked its license following a string of violent incidents, including a man retrieving a machete from his car before entering the premises. Totties, which operated on The Causeway for more than 20 years, will not reopen.
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The CCTV Evidence That Closed the Club
Trafford councillors reviewed CCTV footage from March through May 2025 showing repeated violence outside the lap dancing club. The footage captured multiple large brawls, with at least two men knocked unconscious on The Causeway.
In one incident, people were filmed taking nitrous oxide before fights broke out. Another video showed a man walking to his car, retrieving a machete, and returning to the venue. Several of the incidents happened up to an hour after the club should have closed for the night.
Neill Courtney from Trafford Council’s Community Safety team identified several people in the footage as “known in both acquisitive and organised criminality.”
Seven Years of Problems
The council’s Licensing Enforcement Officer, Ben Moran, told the July 2025 hearing that Totties had “failed in its duty” to prevent crime and disorder. He said incidents occurred “almost every time the premises is open to the public.”
The violence came after another serious incident less than a year earlier. Customer Rob Harris was pushed down the stairs inside the club by an intoxicated stranger, leaving him paralyzed. The attacker was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Council chair Sarah Haughey cited seven years of criminal issues when explaining the decision to revoke the license rather than suspend it.
License Holder’s Last Attempt Failed
Jonathan Dodd, the license holder, had his barrister propose a solution: appoint a new designated premises supervisor and accept a one-month suspension. Councillors rejected the offer.
They voted to revoke the premises license completely. The club had already lost its sex establishment license roughly a year before the final hearing.
From 2001 Opening to 2025 Closure
The adult entertainment venue opened in 2001 under original owner Roy Dodd. It operated for nearly two decades before closing in March 2020 during the pandemic. Roy Dodd died in December 2020, and the venue never reopened.
Charlotte Street Estates Ltd applied to convert the building into three apartments in 2024, but Trafford Council refused permission. Parisian Bistro Ltd, the company behind the nightclub, then applied to renew the sex establishment license in March 2024.
Any plans to bring back the venue ended with the July 10, 2025 license revocation.
What Happens Now
The building at The Causeway sits empty. Without a premises license, no one can legally operate a nightclub or bar at the location. There are no announced plans for what will replace Totties Altrincham.
The council’s decision sends a clear message about public safety in the town centre. After reviewing footage of machetes, unconscious victims, and organized criminals gathering outside a licensed premises, councillors had seen enough.
