nightclub tycoon Stefan King laughed off suggestions in court yesterday that he was an anti-Asian racist as ''farcical''.
The 37-year-old leisure and property boss told Glasgow Sheriff Court he was a businessman.
He said: ''I don't want to sound cold but we are dependent on success for our expansion. If the clientele are paying good money then that is all I am interested in.''
Mr King who has changed the name of his Glasgow-based company from King City Leisure to G1 Group plc, owns seven nightclubs, bars and cafe bars. He has also converted the former High Court building at Lanarkshire House in Ingram Street into a nightclub, bar, and conference centre.
He was giving evidence for his defence against allegations in a unique case raised by the Commission for Racial Equality.
The CRE claims he was in breach of the Race Relations Act by instructing a bouncer not to allow Asians into his Archaos nightclub in Glasgow city centre.
Sheriff Kevin Drummond QC is being asked to declare Mr King's actions were unlawful and to interdict him from further acts of discrimination in the future.
Evidence for the CRE was led over five days before Sheriff Drummond in July. The case was sparked by claims from former steward Jason Wotherspoon that the head steward Derek Menzies ordered him on behalf of Mr King to clamp down on the number of Asians entering Yo Yo's club.
Yesterday when the case resumed after a 14-week adjournment, Mr King told his advocate Rory Anderson that he was not hugely involved in the day to day running of his organisation.
He said he enjoyed a high percentage of Asian clubbers at Archaos and his other clubs, and added: ''That is the reason we are fighting this action. Apart from protecting the company's reputation I want to ensure that we enjoy our existing clientele in the future.''
The hearing continues.
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