Mother Deborah Welch's anger after Fever nightclub sends promotions to 13-year-old

THE mother of a 13-year-old was "completely shocked" that her daughter received an invitation to the reopening of a refurbished Barnstaple nightclub.

Barnstaple mum Deborah Welch was appalled that a nightclub would send an invitation to her daughter Katie, a pupil at Pilton Community College.

The mail came from Fever and Boutique, in Queen Street, which was called Toko until last weekend.

The club's management said the mail had been sent in error by a broker it uses and apologised for the mistake.

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"If it's sexy and cool you desire," says the mailshot, "then Boutique is the room for you."

The mailshot also boasts of the nightclub's "seductive charm" and included tokens for discounted drinks.

Mrs Welch says it is inappropriate for a 13-year-old to read that sort of message.

"This shouldn't happen, but apparently it does," she said. "Thirteen is such a young age.

" I'd be cross if Katie was 16 or 17, but I'm even more angry at this age.

"It's encouraging kids at this age. Katie's an innocent child and she's being encouraged to go out binge drinking.

"I'm just glad I opened the letter myself."

Mark Shorting, from Bar Fever Ltd, apologised for causing Mrs Welch to be upset.

"We're extremely sorry for any distress we've caused," he said.

"We certainly wouldn't try to market ourselves to anyone under 18 and they certainly wouldn't be allowed in if they turned up at the door."

He said the company had used a reputable broker to send out mail publicising the fact the bar was reopening after a £200,000 investment which saw 12 new jobs created.

"We used a reputable mailing house which would have got the data from a nationally available list," he said.

"Somehow Katie's name has ended up on that list and we can contact the broker and ask them to look into it and have her taken off it.

"Mistakes do happen and we are very sorry.

"And of course, Mrs Welch is more than welcome to join us as a guest if she would like to."