Dispute threatens Cannes' iconic club

Palais de Club has become a glamorous hotspot for socialising, but could be closed this summer. Copyright Palais Club Cannes 2011

With just 14 days from the grand opening of the summer season at the Palais Club, it looks as though not everything will be going to plan as originally promised. 

The closure is reportedly the result of a "judicial imbroglio" stemming from significant changes concerning the summer lease. "The contractor has broken the lease by changing some of the essential parameters of the contract," announced the Management of the congress to French newspaper, Metro France, without giving any more details. 

It is believed that there has been some confusion with the lease - the company Noctis Event, led by Laurent de Gourcuff, renewed the contract in 2011, however there has been complaints from SEMEC (Société d'économie mixte), a company who runs the Palais des Festival and claims that the establishment has not respected certain terms of the agreement. It has sparking a heated dispute and the case is currently in the hands of lawyers. 

Over the past six years, Palais de Club has become a glamorous hotspot for socialising, attracting between 3,000 and 4,000 revellers every night. It has established a particular appeal for famous DJs and rappers, including French favourite David Guetta, Estelle and 50 cent with regular sightings of A-listers like Paris Hilton.

The possible closure of the popular nightclub threatens a loss of 200 jobs. Additionally, Noctis Event has already paid a 50 per cent deposit of the 380,000 euro cost for a number of music acts including for American Snoop Dog, who was was set to perform at the venue this summer - just one of the 52 organised events. 

Katie Williams