AN iconic Bournemouth nightspot will be transformed into a 'high-end' restaurant and cocktail lounge.

The former Winchester pub and music venue in Poole Hill, Bournemouth, is to become La Banque, with the floor space extended into offices on the first floor.

Council planning officers said the scheme represented a move away from a "noisy pub operating till the early hours" to "a venue with a focus on food, function rooms and a cocktail lounge for dancing".

Their report said the former pub had been linked with "antisocial behaviour", "noise complaints" made to environmental health officers and staying open "well beyond the authorised hours".

"The proposed use would see this neglected listed building refurbished and its immediate future secured," the officers conclude.

The new proprietor, Labanque Ltd, says its venue will target "the higher end of the market".

The former Branksome pub further down Poole Hill was recently renovated and re-opened as the Brewhouse, while the empty building next to the Winchester is being converted by Southbourne Ales Brewery, with plans to open next month.