A CONISTON wine bar has been ordered to reduce its licensing hours following concerns from local residents over excess noise.

Harry’s Cafe Bar, on Yewdale Road, Coniston, must now stop serving alcohol at 11pm – one hour earlier than its original midnight licence.

Mr Phil Glennon, sub post-master of Coniston Post Office, first raised concerns in 2005 when the bar was converted from Satterthwaite Tea Rooms and applied for a 1am licence.

South Lakeland District Council issued a licence until midnight but in 2008 Mr Glennon made an application for a full licence review.

Mr Glennon, who lives in a first floor flat 12 feet from the bar, said he felt licence holder Harry Lakin continually failed to control customers in the bar at night and the noise of people drinking outside after closing time keeps him and his wife awake.

“I have had to move into the back bedroom just to get to sleep, and you have to put the TV on full just to drown out the noise.

“The number of incidents of noise going past the licencing hours this summer have been sufficient to demonstrate that we do have a problem in a residential area.”

SLDC’s licensing sub-committee was also shown a letter from Coniston resident Hayley Buckley who said: “My daughter has been woken by foul and abusive language and fighting in the streets, mostly brought on by extended opening hours.”

David Spedding, licensing and enforcement officer, said he had seen no evidence of staff training.

He said: “This also breaches the conditions of the licence.

“Although Mr Lakin has taken on board earlier council advice and keeps an incident book, he needs to better record the actions taken.”

Chairman of the licensing sub-committee, Coun Clive Graham also ordered Mr Lakin to appoint a security trained doorman on Friday and Saturday nights between 7pm and 11pm.

Mr Lakin’s solicitor Nick Davenport of Davenport and Scott, Ambleside, said: “Mr Lakin takes on board the concerns of the committee and Mr Glennon, and appreciates that he needs to take greater control of the premises and improve staff training.”

Mr Lakin has 21 days to put the new orders into effect.