RESIDENTS living within earshot of a Tavistock nightclub are concerned about an application by the operating company to keep it open later into the night.

The Crown Centre in Plymouth Road has applied to extend its Saturday night public entertainment licence by one hour until 2am.

None of the local councils plan to object, nor do the police, but residents fear further sleep disruption and vandalism.

One man who lives near by, Canon Ian Hazelwood, whose views echoed those of other residents, said he was not opposed to the centre as such.

'I do believe it is important to have a club in our town,' he said. 'It does meet a need. But we have, in the past, found the loud and penetrating sounds that invade our bedroom very unpleasant — what it's doing to the ear drums of clubbers I hate to imagine.'

He said the noise problem had improved of late, but he and many of the other residents were also concerned about the rowdy behaviour and vandalism that went on after the club closed.

'We are most anxious this should not go on after 1am — the thought of it happening after 2am is ghastly.' he said. 'It's not the club's fault — it's the fault of the licensing authority for allowing people to drink so late.'

The late-night vandalism was the main concern of local businesses.

Dave Hatwell, owner of Dartmoor Interiors for the last 20 years, said the problem seemed to have got worse recently.

'We've suffered a constant stream of window breakages over the past three years, which we live with,' he said. 'Generally if we have damage, it is caused by people using the clubs and it's generally between 1am and 2am. My fear is that I will be called out even later to deal with the damage.'

West Devon Borough Council licensing officer Roger Collins said the Crown Centre had had a public entertainments licence valid until 2am on Thursday and Friday for the last two or three years, although up to now it has mostly stayed open only until 1am. It has applied for a similar closing time for Saturday nights — an application to extend its drinks licence will have to be heard by West Devon Magistrates.

Mr Collins said there had been an objection from the town council originally, which is why the matter had gone to the panel rather than being settled under powers delegated to the officers, though that has since been withdrawn.

Town clerk Roger Howard said a rapid decision had been called for and that was taken by him and Cllr John Wright, chairman of the finance and general purpose committee. He said they had only ever had one complaint about the centre and that turned out not to be the Crown anyway.

'They have bent over backwards to do everything people have asked for in terms of noise and nuisance, so we have no grounds for opposing this application,' said Mr Howard.

The police, too, felt they had insufficient grounds to object, because of recent improvements in the management of noise and nuisance, though they were concerned they would have to change shift patterns so they could continue to monitor patrons leaving the clubs.

The Crown has spent a lot of money on refurbishing the club — the ventilation system had been up-graded so doors didn't need to be opened late at night and the music was turned down as the evening wore on said Mr Collins.

Door staff were now properly qualified, the club had undertaken a proper health and safety risk assessment of the building and CCTV cameras had been installed.

'A whole host of things have been done in the last six months,' he said. 'The residents will notice a change, that's what we are trying to achieve.'

Answering the complaint that the application had not been advertised locally, only in a Plymouth newspaper, Mr Collins said applications for extensions did not have to be advertised at all.

Robert Jones of owners WP Jones and Sons, and director in charge of the Crown, did not wish to comment.

The application is to be heard today (Thursday) at 9.30am at Kilworthy Park, Tavistock. Objectors may voice their opinions to the licensing panel before a decision is taken.