DIRECTORS at the closure-threatened Arches arts venue and nightclub have confirmed they are considering a legal appeal against the recent decision to curtail its hours.

Following a meeting of its executive team The Arches again said the cut to its operation, effectively shutting its nightclub, would have "a devastating effect on the future of the venue".

It comes as a petition against the closure surpasses the 30,000 mark, with leading Scottish playwrights writing of the "potentially devastating" results of Glasgow licensing board's decision to curb the hours following police complaints of drug misuse and disorder.

An open letter on behalf of the Scottish Society of Playwrights (SSP), whose council members include the Makar Liz Lochhead as well as Davey Anderson, Kieran Hurley and chair Nicola McCartney, among others, said the Glasgow club and arts venue holds a "vital place in Scottish culture."

A spokesman for the venue said: "The board is now taking legal advice on appealing the decision. Meanwhile this week's scheduled events go ahead as planned."

Last week the city's licensing board, chaired by Cllr Bill Butler, ruled the venue was to shut from midnight from Friday following the third attempt by Police Scotland to have it closed in a year.

The force claimed the venue's "robust drugs search policy" was "not sufficient deterrent to patrons attending the premises in possession of drugs".

Lawyers for the venue argued that almost all the police complaints stemmed from the staff alerting them to drugs finds.

They claimed vigilance in searches and their management polices were being used against the venue.

Mark Anderson, executive director, said: "We are still stunned by Friday's decision and at a loss to understand just what more we could have done to provide a safer clubbing environment at The Arches.

"Over the period under review, we welcomed over 250,000 clubbers through our doors. Of that number, just 0.14% were reported for misuse of drugs incidents.

"What is more worrying is that despite the increased safety measures we adopted on the recommendation of Police Scotland, which had already alienated many of our valued club customers, our successful operation of those policies has resulted in the statistics being used against us."

Directors of The Arches will meet this week with funding partners Creative Scotland and Glasgow Life to discuss potential ways forward.

The venue said Arches Theatre's annual turnover of £3.8m is made up of only 15 per cent of public subsidy, with the balance of 85 per cent self-generated through the commercial events programme, corporate hires and income from the café bar and restaurant.

Turnover from club activity, including bar sales, accounts for 51 per cent of group turnover, it said.

A spokesman added that The Arches currently employs 133 people and indirectly employs scores of freelance workers in the production of events, from designers to production managers, technicians to door stewards, and artist and musician entourages.

A spokesman for Glasgow Licensing Board said: "After hearing submissions from both Police Scotland and the Arches, the board decided to vary the licence by moving the closing hour for the premises from 3am to 12 midnight, Monday to Sunday.

"The decision was made in terms of the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder, securing public safety and protecting and improving public health."