Club Colosseum, Vauxhall, London

Helicopter ‘crashes into crane’ in London, January 2013 On Wednesday 16th January 2013 at 08.00, an Agusta 109 helicopter flying in low cloud, crashed into a crane situated at the top of The Tower, One St George Street, killing two and injuring twelve more. In a scene that innocent bystanders described as “like a war movie”, “surreal” and “absolute madness”, London witnessed its worst helicopter crash for many years. As a result, falling wreckage from the helicopter and crane collided with buildings and parked cars in Wandsworth Road below, causing explosions, fires and large plumes of black smoke which took approximately eighty firefighters to control. The incident caused gridlock in the South Lambeth areas, with all approaches to the Vauxhall Cross one way system closed and the Vauxhall Tube Station and railway station remaining shut during the height of London rush hour. The whole scene remained on lock down until the following Monday, when the stations reopened and public access was granted, however the Wandsworth road remained closed to through traffic for a further week due to a large portable crane in situ for clearing the remaining debris. At such a time, public sympathy obviously extends to the deceased and their family but what is often overlooked is the impact such an accident can have on the local community. In this instance, the area affected was highly populated with residents and small business’s alike whose lives were disrupted, not only through devastation for what had occurred but by practical measures such as road closures and clean-up operations. One such business was the Club Colosseum complex located at Market Towers, Nine Elms Lane in Vauxhall. Currently under construction, the building site where they are erecting the new Nine Elms area was heavily fire damaged during the crash. The Complex, owned and managed by Tina Bamford of Sevan Caterers (Vauxhall) Ltd, offers a unique choice of space, suitable for a wide variety of events. Club Colosseum continues to be one of London’s premier nightclubs for attracting elite promoters looking to showcase both new and established events and regularly attracts large crowds. During the disruption in January 2013, the Club suffered loss of revenue due in large to the closure of the club over the first weekend but also reduced trading figures (approximately 40%-50%) over the following two weekends. Whilst the club had in fact re-opened to the public on the second weekend, the impression from the outside was one of closure due to the obstructing crane, police tape and prohibited vehicle access. Ms Bamford acted immediately by calling NDML, her insurance broker since 2009, who due to the nature of the claim, were immediately able to put her in touch with GAB Robins, loss adjusters. The loss adjusters, experienced at dealing with similar incidents dealt with the claim under the Denial of Access extension to the Business interruption policy. Within a short time, a bank transfer was arranged and Ms Bamford was reimbursed in full for lost revenue. Ms Bamford was impressed with the speed and efficiency at which the process was dealt with, from initial contact with NDML to resolution by GAB Robins. On receiving the payment, Ms Bamford was quick to email GAB Robins the following; “Just to let you know that our insurers paid the claim settlement into our account today – and to thank you both for your help in agreeing what I believe to be a fair and equitable settlement for this claim – on behalf of both the insurers and ourselves.” NDML, specialist insurance brokers to the leisure industry for over 15 years, guarantee to actively find the most competitive rates and comprehensive cover for every individual client; unavailable through any other broker in the UK. As a result the number of venues NDML act for is growing on a daily basis, testament to the quality of service and product we provide. In addition, our reputation as premier broker is enriched by the relationships we have built with renowned Insurance Company’s, preferring to only collaborate with A rated insurers who have impeccable case history, business acumen and understanding of the Leisure Industry.

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