A NIGHTCLUB owner claimed he knew nothing of a brawl involving at least 100 people in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The fight started at a nightclub in Cottis Lane, off Epping High Street, at about 3am.

Ben Murphy, who was at Club 195 on Friday night, said: “I think there is an argument for not having two nightclubs right next door to each other in that location.

“I've lived in Epping all of my life and go out regularly locally with big crowds of friends.

“We have no interest in trouble and there very rarely is any sight.”

Anthony Papas, 28, who runs The Villa, said: “I didn’t realise it had happened until the next day – I was in my office.

“The police came to see me the next day and saw all my cameras and realised it was next door.”

Both David King and Scott Cummins, the co-owners of Club 195, refused to comment.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Several officers from Essex Police and the British Transport Police were assaulted when they tried to break up a series of fights that started in the vicinity of Club 195 and The Villa.

“The trouble is believed to have started when several people were ejected from one of the clubs – we don’t know which one.”

• Two men aged 18 and 23 from Waltham Abbey, a 19-year-old man from Canning Town, east London, an 18-year-old man from East Ham, east London, two men aged 18 and 20 from Broxbourne, Hertfordshire and a 21-year-old woman from Enfield were all arrested on suspicion of affray.
• A 16-year-old boy from Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.
• A 23-year-old man from Welling, Kent, was arrested on suspicion of assault.

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