A NEW 700-capacity theme pub will take the place of Durham's only mainstream cinema.

Regent Inns won an appeal against licence refusal by North Durham justices following a two-week hearing which ended at Durham Crown Court last Friday.

The London-based leisure company will develop the Australian theme Walkabout 'bar, restaurant and entertainment-led venue,' following a £1.8m conversion of Robin's Cinema in North Road.

Walkabout will open six nights a week until 1am, but the company must comply with various conditions.

The cinema is expected to close next month with work starting within weeks for proposed opening by June.

Judge Beatrice Bolton, sitting with four magistrates, allowed the appeal despite opposition from police, local residents and the City of Durham Trust.

All fear an increase in late night nuisance and disturbance in North Road, already blighted by drunken disorder on many weekend evenings.

Judge Bolton said there are insufficient late drinking venues to meet demand in Durham and believes Walkabout's presence will encourage an improvement in surrounding licensed premises.

She criticised the authorities for failing to tackle problems of late night transport provision and shortage of public conveniences in the city centre.

Judge Bolton also accused some objectors of showing 'a degree of snobbery' in assuming all late night drinkers in North Road are 'animals.'

"These young people are no better or no worse than any others," she added.

Regent estates and acquisition manager Clive Butler said he believed it was 'the right decision for Durham,' pledging the company would comply with all conditions.

Disappointed Chief Insp Laz Szomoru, police operations manager for Durham, said: "Our resources are limited and the prospect of even more drinkers coming out onto the streets at one o'clock in the morning is not one we relish.

"We will study the judgement in full before reaching a decision as to any legal avenues which remain open to us."

City trust chair Roger Cornwell said members would monitor Regent's operation to ensure it complies with the conditions.

Objector Karen Taylor said she hopes some good will come of the hearing in raising awareness of the problems suffered by residents in the city centre vicinity.

* Chief Insp Szomoru was guest speaker at a topical public meeting, Licensing and Behaviour, at the Elvet Riverside lecture rooms in New Elvet last Saturday - the day after the decision was made.