A NEW Swanage business has been granted a Premises Licence which will allow them to continue serving until 1am on Fridays and Saturday and an hour longer when events are being held in the resort.

The Purbeck Plaza, which describes itself as a Spanish-style restaurant, has taken over a former hotel site in the High Street.

Nearby residents had objected to some of the longer hours in the licensing application, claiming the business needed to strike the right balance between their rights to peace and quiet and its need to make a living.

Three neighbours told the hearing that they feared additional public nuisance incidents in the area if the requested hours were agreed, claiming there are already being disturbed by patrons from an existing bar.

The Plaza, which was previously the Purbeck Hotel, has a capacity of 60 seated, serving breakfast, lunches and dinner with drinks, including alcohol.

Bethany Harrison, for the Purbeck Plaza, said she had responded to the representations trying to assure those with concerns. She said the building had been a pub for around 200 years with the previous licence allowing for 24-hour opening.

“I don’t want to upset any neighbours. We own the property above and are going to holiday let six flats so it will be in our best interests to keep the noise down and prevent public nuisance because it’s something which will affect us as well,” she told the licensing panel.

“We want to keep everybody happy in this but I do also want to run a successful business… we are aiming for a late night, civilised, dining option.”

Mrs Harrison said the music would mostly be background music but she did hope to run occasional live music nights when windows and doors would remain closed with the music finishing at 11pm, other than New Year’s eve. She said the level would not be excessively loud.

The hearing was also told that, in time, the business hoped to apply for a pavement licence to have tables and chairs outside until 11pm.

Dorset Council’s licensing panel agreed on a Premises Licence which will allow the sale of alcohol until 1am on Friday and Saturdays, both on and off premises; Sunday to Thursday sales to 11pm with extensions to 1am for Swanage Carnival Week and Christmas Eve, and until 2am on New Years Eve.

Live music, indoors, will be allowed until midnight on New Years Eve with recorded music until 2am Included on the conditions of the licence are a free call for taxis and staff to litter pick outside and around the premises each day.

A CCTV system will also have to be in place, available to the police, or authorised council officer with staff to encourage customers to leave quietly and all commercial waste not to be disposed of outside between 10pm and 8am.