Glasgow's Arches closes

The Arches in Glasgow has announced that it was closing with immediate effect, having placed itself in administration. This follows new licensing restrictions placed on the venue by the local council last month after a number of drug and alcohol related incidents.  Management at The Arches recently announced that they were seeking legal advice on the local authority decision to cut its licensed hours. They said that by essentially forcing it to stop running club nights, the council was cutting off 51% of the charity-run arts venue's income. In a statement, the chairman of the venue's board of directors, Gordon Kennedy, said: "The board has taken professional advice and is left with no other choice than to begin the process of appointing administrators for both The Arches Theatre Ltd and Arches Retail Ltd. This decision has been taken with deep regret as it will have a major impact on our staff, business partners, customers, and on Glasgow's reputation for night time economy".

Police helicopter crashes into live music pub in Scotland

A police helicopter has crashed into the roof of The Clutha pub in Glasgow, Scotland, close to the Clyde River. One eyewitnesses said the aircraft dropped "from a great height at a great speed... like a stone". Rescue efforts were in "full operation", according to Scotland’s first minister Alex Salmond, whilst police confirmed that two officer and a civilian were on board the helicopter during the incident. Three people have been confirmed as dead by the BBC as rescue operations continue with many people trapped in the unstable building and debris and 32 have been taken to hospital. The bar was busy with revellers enjoying a gig by nine-piece ska band Esperanza at The Clutha Vaults when the crash occurred and it is thought over 100 people were present, enjoying a Friday night out.   A senior fire officer said they had made contact with some people trapped inside the pub but the building was unsafe and they were taking a "methodical" approach to the rescue. The rescue operation continued throughout the night  - whilst some attendees were rescued or escaped, others have been trapped by a collapse on the left-hand side of the building.

UPDATE: 18.00 Saturday 30 November: We are sad to report that eight people have been now been confirmed as dead. A further 14 people are being treated for "very serious injuries" in hospitals across the city, as tales of heroism continue to emerge from the shocking scenes.