AN application for a night spot to stay open later has been rejected.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's special licensing committee spent four hours this week deliberating on whether The Lodge, at Liverton Mines, near Loftus, should be allowed to stay open until 2am after Friday and Saturday night opening.

The Lodge has been at the centre of controversy since 1999, when licensee Ken Morley applied for permission to open until 2am.

Despite protests from residents, the police and the council, Guisborough magistrates' allowed it to stay open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Now Mr Morley has renewed his application to the council to ask for permission again. He said that people from Loftus, Saltburn and the east Cleveland villages did not have enough time to get from the pubs to The Lodge before closing time.

A decision on the opening hours has been delayed several times because of the volume of evidence.

Committee chairman Councillor Brenda Forster, said: "We have decided that we will renew the licence to midnight on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but we will not allow the variation."

Mr Morley said he was very disappointed and would appeal against the decision.