​Birmingham’s CRANE nightclub has license suspended following Cody Fisher murder

Birmingham nightclub CRANE, where footballer Cody Fisher was murdered on Boxing Day, has had its license suspended pending review.

The club, situated in Birmingham’s Digbeth, will be subject to a full hearing in January, per Sky News.

Birmingham City Council tweeted on December 30: “Today the Licensing Sub Committee heard a review of Crane nightclub's premises licence which has resulted in the venue’s licence being suspended, pending a full review to be heard within 28 days.”

Non-league football player Cody Fisher, who played for Stratford Town FC, was fatally stabbed on the dancefloor of CRANE on December 26, 2022, just before midnight. The 23-year-old was pronounced dead half an hour later, despite efforts to save him.

Two men have now been charged with his murder. Kami Carpenter, 21, and Remy Gordon, 22, were arrested on December 28.

Both men appeared in front of Birmingham Crown Court on January 2 due to the closure of the magistrates and spoke only to confirm personal details. The four-minute hearing was heard by two magistrates.

Carpenter and Gordon were remanded in custody and ordered to return to court on Wednesday, January 4, as well as a further hearing on January 30.

The investigation into the death of Fisher is still ongoing, with West Midlands Police asking for witness accounts and those with information of the crime to come forward.

A spokesperson for CRANE said that they are "cooperating fully" with police, according to Birmingham Live.

"Whilst it would be wrong for us at this stage to react to individual, anecdotal accounts of the circumstances that applied on Boxing Day. We do employ extensive and professional security procedures for all public events, and our contracted security staff are professionals who are licensed by the SIA," said the spokesperson.

On the night, Superintendent Sally Simpson of West Midlands police claimed that staff were "oblivious" and "wandering around all over the place" as paramedics treated Fisher. "Further to this, they have started to clean the dancefloor further down from where the deceased was. Officers shouted at them to stop," she added.

A close friend who was with Fisher on the night of his murder told Mixmag: “He's such a good lad. He doesn't have any badness in him. So for that to happen to him is just so sad.”

Fisher’s family also released a statement following his death, reading: “They have broken our hearts; I have lost my best friend. My family and I are asking for privacy and respectfulness at this heart-breaking time.”

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Editorial Assistant, follow her on Twitter