Village pub in row over new hours

A row has broken out after a pub in a Leicestershire village applied to stay open into the early hours.

Owners of the Crown Inn in Old Dalby near Melton originally applied to open from 8am until 2am every day.

After dozens of objections were sent to Melton Borough Council, the application was changed to midnight on weekdays and 1am on weekends.

The owners have claimed they only want added flexibility but residents fear more noise and anti-social behaviour.

Community facility

Residents said they were worried extended opening hours would lead to parking congestion and noise problems.

A pub which opened into the early hours was out of keeping with the character of a small village, they added.

David Lucas from Fraser Brown solicitors, which represents the pub's owners, explained it was not going to be turned into a nightclub.

He said: "We have applied for extended hours but we have no intention of using them fully, they are there just to give flexibility to the operator.

"We don't want to alienate the community, we want them to use the pub, it's a facility for them so it's nonsensical to think the company is going to spend a lot of money improving the pub and then fall out with its neighbours."