AN eating and drinking complex that will create 120 jobs in Durham city centre could be open in time for Christmas.

Businessman Richard Lazenby has overcome opposition to his £3m plans for the Old Police Station in Court Lane to win a pub licence.

Work on the Victorian building, which has stood empty for several years, has been going on for several months.

Mr Lazenby won licences for a bistro and a restaurant on the first and second floors in August.

However, his application for a ground-floor pub licence hit a technical hitch and had to be re-submitted.

The development overcame its last hurdle when the city's licensing panel granted the licence despite objections from the police, university, residents and Elvet Methodist Church.

Mr Lazenby, former chairman of Teesside-based sausage maker Mr Lazenby's, said: "It has taken a massive weight off my shoulders.

"It has delayed things and cost me tens of thousands of pounds. We are still hoping to be open for Christmas, although we haven't got a date. We are working on this with the contractors.

"It is a difficult project from a building point of view. We are looking at the first week of December. We have been delayed by about a month.

"From the start we knew it would be difficult, but we did not anticipate it would be such a long process.''

Objectors raised fears that the new complex, which will be called Cathedrals, would lead to an increase in late-night trouble and nuisance.

But Mr Lazenby said he did not want to become part of the city's weekend youth drinking circuit.

The pub will mainly serve lagers and beers brewed on the premises, and will have no juke boxes, gaming machines, TV or video screens.

He said the complex, which will by supplied by local firms, was unique in Britain and would be well run.

Licensing panel chairman Walter Heron said the panel felt the project would not stretch police resources or increase trouble.

The City of Durham Trust supports the plan, saying it will bring the building back into use and add to Durham's facilities.