Ralph Berrin, owner of the Comfort Zone after-hours dance club, claims city inspectors, Toronto police and a local councillor have “conspired” to shut down his business.
However, the councillor, Adam Vaughan, says the club, on Spadina Avenue near College Street, has been red-flagged because illegal activities of a serious nature have taken place there.
“If you’re running an all-night establishment with this kind of profile, and you run into trouble on your inspections, you’ll be inspected more often. That’s just the way the city works.
There’s no conspiracy there,” Vaughan said yesterday.
Comfort Zone, which caters to the 19-plus crowd, filed a lawsuit against the city and Vaughan a few days ago, demanding $11 million.
The lawsuit was filed in Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice in Toronto. No statement of defence has been filed as yet, and none of the claims has been proven in court.
Acting for the Comfort Zone, lawyer Marvin Huberman says the venue has been subjected to frequent visits and walk-throughs by police officers and municipal licensing officials.
“It’s harassment, intimidating, and we want it to stop,’’ Huberman said.
