NIGHTCLUB Capone's will now shut at 3.30am instead of 5am following complaints from Dursley residents.

But there is joy for many that the popular venue has been given a permanent licence, after uncertainty over its future.

The change was imposed on the club in Long Street by Stroud District Council's licensing committee last Friday, after the owners applied for a permanent licence to operate.

The club had been operating under temporary event licences and there were fears it could close altogether, as some Dursley residents had complained that its customers were responsible for anti-social behaviour in the town.

Capone's co-owner, Stavros Antonio Praki, had requested a licence to serve alcohol, play live and recorded music, and stay open until 5am from Thursday through to Sunday.

A licence was awarded to stay open up until 2am on Thursdays and Sundays and until 3.30am on Fridays and Saturdays, with the serving of drinks ending half an hour earlier.

A number of conditions were placed on the premises by the council, including the use of CCTV cameras, door staff having to remain in post until half an hour after the last patron leaves and a person monitoring noise from the outside of the building each hour during operating hours.

Most of the concerns raised during the hearing related to anti-social behaviour as well as various noise disturbances.

Those objecting argued that a closing time of 5am was too late, suggesting it should be reduced by at least a couple of hours.

Cllr Matt Nicholson spoke at the meeting on behalf of Dursley Town Council.

“The council do see the need for local businesses to thrive but we do need to take into account views from all of our residents,” he said. “Some people living in the town would have liked us to come here today and objected entirely to the club opening, but we have reached a compromise."

Ronnie Harding, the Continued on page 3 (Continued from page 1) secretary of gardening group Dursley in Bloom, spoke at the hearing about vandalism in the town caused by patrons of the nightclub.

“I’m not against Dursley having a nightclub,” she said. “But I am against the late opening hours.

“We in Dursley and Bloom have had flower beds trampled, planters tipped over and, just recently, a number of hanging baskets dismantled and left on the street.

“I understand that there isn’t another nightclub in Gloucestershire that stays open until 5am. Why should a small town like Dursley be subject to this kind of behaviour?”

Matthew Phipp of TLT Solicitors, speaking on behalf of Mr Praki, who owns the club with his brother Bambo, said he was keen to regain the trust of the surrounding community and welcomed the conditions of the licence.

Following the meeting, the town council was pleased with the result.

Town clerk John Kay said: “Town councillors are pleased that majority opinion from local people has been considered by the licensing committee and the opening hours for Capone’s nightclub have been reduced from the original application.

“The town councillors support the conditions placed on the license to discourage anti-social behaviour and to reduce the impact on residents in the town from patrons of the club.

“It is the view of the council that these conditions should allow the club to be successfully run, without being detrimental to nearby residential properties and other local businesses, whilst supporting the desire of many to have a late night facility in the town.”

Many social media users responded to the Gazette’s report pleased that the club would reopen on a regular basis.

The club closed back in March along with Ye Olde Dursley Hotel (The Old Bell) – also owned by Stavros and Bambo Praki - when their licences lapsed due to insolvency issues.

While the club managed to remain open on Saturday nights Ye Olde Dursley Hotel remained closed until it was awarded its licence on the same day as Capone’s. It opened its doors the next day and has now returned to its normal hours.