A CLUB has been granted permission to stay open into the early hours for a charity party, despite an objection from Dorset Police.

The operators of Eden Garden Bar & Club in Terrace Road, Bournemouth, applied for a temporary event notice (TEN) to stay open serving drinks in their indoor venue - also called Hamptons - until 5am on Saturday, June 24.

They are hoping to raise £3,900 towards an appeal for four-year-old Lloyd Tucker, who suffers from severe cerebral palsy, to get specialist treatment in London.

At a licensing board meeting on Tuesday, Dorset Police licensing officer PC Steve Lemon said the force feared such an event might set a precedent for later opening in the area and lead to crime and disorder.

"Allowing these premises to trade further will result in increased levels of intoxication for the patrons inside," he said.

"When the premises close those intoxicated persons will leave the premises and impact negatively onto the immediate area."

PC Lemon showed board members CCTV of early hours disturbances in the area around the club.

"There is a real risk if this TEN were successful that other venues would see it as an opportunity to grab a larger slice of the market and also start to apply for TENs to increase their trading times," he said.

"I understand from Mr Tour's application that this TEN is due to a one-off event for charity. It is worth noting a similar application from him was submitted for an increase of the same trading times, for the same days of the week at the same time of the month, albeit the reason was not for charity but for a language school party."

He said the force did not object to all TEN applications in the area, citing recent Superbowl events and the forthcoming Pride events.

Eden owner Peter Tour told the board that the party would start at 8pm and run until around midnight, with all proceeds going to the appeal, and bands and security providing their services free of charge.

He said the club needed to stay open later so as not to lose a night's takings.

"Our break-even point throughout the week is made on Fridays and Saturdays, so if we lose the Friday and it rains on Saturday we are effectively in minus for the whole week," he said.

The board heard there had not been any complaints about Eden, hence an initial objection by pollution control due to noise concerns had been withdrawn.

"On this occasion and after much deliberation, we have decided that we are going to allow this temporary event notice to take place," said acting board chairman Councillor David Kelsey.

"We are not setting precedents for any other applications coming forward and every application will and always has been taken on its own merits when it comes in front of us."