A councillor assisting a review into the licence of a Birmingham nightclub where footballer Cody Fisher was stabbed to death on Boxing Day said closing the club will only “give more power to criminals”.

Conservative councillor Simon Morrall, who sits on Birmingham City Council’s licensing committee, said rather than closing Crane nightclub, strict searches on entry and metal detection barriers should be mandated to help set a “precedent” for Birmingham’s clubs.

It comes after Mr Fisher, 23, was fatally attacked in Crane nightclub in Digbeth, just before midnight on Boxing Day.

In a letter sent to the council’s licensing committee, councillor Morrall said he attended Crane nightclub on 17 December for a dance event – nine days before the fatal incident occurred.

He said: “Despite train strikes, it was packed out and the entire event was a massive success. I was searched fully on entry, I felt completely safe, there was no trouble on the dance floor and I even stayed for the after party in the basement until the early hours."

Councillor Morrall, who has sat on the council’s licensing committee for five years and once worked as a night club promoter, claimed closing nightclubs enables crime to reappear in Birmingham’s nightclubs, adding “a sledge hammer” approach will not work.

Crane nightclub, in Digbeth, had its licence suspended for 28 days after West Midlands police said security was “ineffective”.

The decision last month came after Birmingham council’s licensing committee granted an application to West Midlands police for a review of Crane’s premise licence under section 53a of the Licensing Act.

Previously, a spokesperson for Crane nightclub said: “This matter is subject to an ongoing murder investigation and while this is the case, we will not be issuing any public statements or making further comments relating to any individual details or circumstances surrounding this tragic event.

“Our focus will be to assist the police in every possible way with their enquiry.”