A REQUEST by a town centre pub to stay open until 3.30am has been greeted with concern by its neighbours.

The owners of The Fleece, in Victoria Road, Richmond, have applied to extend the pub's opening hours on Friday and Saturdays, plus Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and bank holiday Mondays.

At present, the pub has a licence until 1.30am on these days, with a further 30 minutes allowed for drinking-up.

However, bosses want to extend the licence until 3am, with the pub closing at 3.30am after the drinking-up time.

Neighbours say the proposal is unacceptable.

Vaughn Curtis, chief executive of the Georgian Theatre Royal, which is next door to the pub, is calling for the application to be rejected. He said: "In recent months, we have had windows broken, cast iron downpipes smashed on the main building facing the Fleece and our door entry system ripped off and stolen."

Resident Susan Blair, from nearby Zetland Court, Richmond, said: "As things stand at the moment, our quality of life is greatly disturbed every weekend with noise, rubbish, police, ambulances, etc.

"But we accept that this was going on before we became residents and just put up with it.

"We understand that this nuisance will be going on for another two hours. This is highly likely to cause greater stress to local residents."

Richmond police has also not welcomed the proposal.

They say before an extension is considered, the pub should improve arrangements for smokers at the front door.

Officers say the current arrangement is a flashpoint for disorder as smokers mix with people queuing to get in.

Extra trained doormen are also needed, police say.

Nobody from the Laurel Pub Company Limited, which owns The Fleece pub, was available for comment yester-day.

Councillors will meet to discuss the licence extension on Thursday