It is therefore the Cap’tain complex, a few steps from the border, which opens the ball, after having requested a renewal of its operating permit. For more than 30 years, it has attracted, every weekend, on average a thousand revelers, and can accommodate up to nearly 2,800 people! His future is now in the hands of the communal college of Rumes who will have to rule on the granting (under conditions) or not of the permit. The decision will be made this April 22, 2025. “RN 50: The legend”: the immense success of the documentary on the golden age of our nightclubs
“Relations have not always been a quiet river”
To feed their reflection and inform the population on the elements of the permit application file and the technical official’s report, the bourgmestre wanted to organize a citizen meeting.
“Relations between the owners, the residents and the municipal administration have not always been a quiet river”introduces Michel Casterman who evokes the problems caused by the presence of this night establishment such as noise pollution, the presence of trash, or even problematic behaviors linked to alcohol or drugs around the site and even in the village of Glanerie.
“It’s not really our goal to annoy residents”
Grievances also relayed by the few citizens present in Reunion, or who reacted during the public inquiry. Nevertheless, the situation seems, in recent years, less problematic than what it has been. Arrangements have been put in place by the direction of Cap’tain to limit the inconveniences such as the installation of a limiter of the sound pressure, the awareness of customers to respect the neighborhood, the collection of waste around the establishment after each evening, etc.
“It’s not really our goal to annoy residents, says Kate Grulois, the owner. It’s been 32 years that we have been there, and from the start, whenever something has been asked, we have always tried to do our best to limit the nuisances as much as possible … It is clear that we are not the smallest club, a little the last of Mohicans in Belgium … And so we are still very successful! I am aware that the establishment is annoying you, but it is also important to emphasize that it is good for many people who need to let off steam, to have fun, to meet with friends … And that, in a structure where they are supervised! You must not catalog all night establishments … You must not put everything on the back of Cap’tain! “ Cap’tain refuses to be the Pandora’s box
Security agents without action power: “We cannot hold them on the spot …”
Compared to the behaviors and overflows of revelers, management is also somewhat devoid of. “”Unfortunately, security agents do not have all powers like the police, insists the head of security of the Cap’tain complex. The law prohibits guarding services from carrying out drug research; We are carrying out awareness campaigns in relation to the dangers of drugs and alcohol. We cannot hold people on site either even if they want to go back to drinking; Only the police can force them and we cannot afford to call them all the time … We also have no power of action on the public highway; We cannot force them to go directly home. We are trying to go through communication with customers, and when we see unsuitable behavior on the public highway, we can prohibit them from access to life at the nightclub, and that’s what we already have with nearly 100 people … “
“Besides that, we have always shown increased collaboration with the police when they interveneadds the manager. We are not here to hide things; The police have access to the pictures of the cameras. We are also led to help them and give them information as part of their surveys. “
-The police were brought to intervene 58 times in 2022, 53 in 2023, and 51 in 2024. Several serious facts have also marked in recent years, including road accidents involving alcoholic drivers leaving the establishment. Michel Casterman also reports on five deaths related to incidents that occurred near the nightclub. https://www.lavenir.net/regions/wallonie-picarde/rumes/2010/01/18/un-jeune-papa-de-26-ans-frappe-a-mort-au-captain-HN6STROY7ZFDBMHXUCPHW6FSR4/
A closure at 6 a.m. for the police
The request for an operating permit for a period of 20 years provides for the opening of the nightclub, as currently, every Saturday from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., as well as some holidays and holidays of holidays. The Tournaisis police zone recommends a closure at 6 a.m., like the Zoo in Barry, in order to prevent revelers from other establishments in the region to gather between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. at the Glanerie to continue the party.
The owner is not formally opposed to it. “”Close at 6 a.m., it would suit us both humanly and financially, notes Kate Grulois. Between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., customers no longer consume … and faced with the cost of staff for this time slot, we remain open at a loss! “
But, she fears that revelers drag more in the surroundings and awaken the local residents if this measure is applied. “”Currently, customer departures are made from 4:30 a.m. specifies the owner. It spreads up to 8 a.m. … If we close at 6 a.m., everyone will go at the same time, we will end up with hundreds of people on the road at the same time … People will stay longer there to avoid checks, and therefore it will bring nuisance for residents! It will be more complicated to manage for our security team and the police! “
“Just like the idea of leaving the parking lot open later, this is not the right solution … Add the security manager. We risk ending up with rave parties and unmanageable situations. “
A support committee for more communication between owners, residents and authorities?
If the citizen meeting was held without incident, with respect, the alderman of trade, Jérôme Ghislain, evokes, in the event of granting of the license, the possibility of creating a support committee and regular meetings, for more communication between the managers of Cap’tain, the residents and the authorities.
Answer, April 22, and the decision of the Communal College of Rumes…
