A POPULAR bar has secured an extension to its opening hours despite objections from a senior environmental health official.

Bosses from The Grange, in Grange Road, Darlington, had their application to serve alcohol until 3am, seven days a week, approved by Darlington Borough Council’s licensing sub committee on Friday.

The three-person committee considered a raft of proposals by the bar’s owner, David Storer.

As well as extending the daily hours for the sale of alcohol, the application to vary the licence included:

* extending the daily hours for live and recorded music;

* plans for sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises;

* extended permission for amplified and unamplified music, both indoors and outdoors;

* permission for amplified music until the early hours of New Year’s Day.

The sub-committee - made up of councillors Lee Vasey, Lynne Haszeldine and Doris Jones - agreed to the extended opening hours, but refused permission for the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises for reasons of public safety.

An application for a licence for outdoor music until the early hours was refused after concerns about the noise level for nearby residents, but the bar will be able to have live music on New Year’s Eve, the committee decided.

The Grange, which has been open for almost four years, hit the headlines in February, when a party for teenagers spilled out into the street.

It resulted in the bar’s licence being reviewed and a range of new conditions being introduced.

Steve Todd, the council’s principal environmental health officer, outlined a number of concerns about Mr Storer’s application.

He said that although there had been no complaints regarding to noise emissions from the bar to date, this was likely to change if an application for late-night outdoor live music was granted.

Mr Storer argued that it was only planned to hold about one late-night outdoor music event per month, with performers to be booked for private functions such as weddings, rather than regular rock bands, as this did not fit with the venue’s client base.

Reacting to the sub-committee’s decision, Mr Storer said: “I think on the whole it is fair, we always try to be flexible and work closely with the licensing authority.”