South Woodford bar applies to extend its opening times by one hour

Cllr Tom McLaren (Image: Archant)

Red Mantra, in George Lane, South Woodford, has applied to Redbridge Council to change its closing time to 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, with the last clubbers leaving by 2.30am.

The venue, which opened in November 2009, has been closing at 1am since a previous application was successful in 2010.

Cllr Tom McLaren (Church End, Conservative) said he feared a further extension could lead to problems for residents.

He said: “I have objected strenuously to the application in support of local residents, who have reported noise and disturbance since the original licence variation in 2010.”

He said as the bar is within South Woodford’s cumulative impact zone, it should be refused the extension “unless clear and irrefutable proof can be provided that the variation will not add to the impact”.

“I find it hard to believe that the venue will be able to provide evidence of how they will meet this standard”, he said.

The zone, introduced in 2011, requires those applying for a licence or variations to show it will not negatively affect the community.

In 2010, the Recorder reported two residents had made noise complaints to the council about the bar in the months after it opened.

Enforcement officers visited and the owners agreed to install a noise-limiting device, ensure two doormen were on duty on Fridays and Saturdays and ban people smoking outside the front of the bar.

Cllr McLaren said: “It is, in my opinion, highly unlikely that the premises would have been allowed its current licensed hours if the zone [had been in place] when they originally applied.

“I hope and expect that the application will be rejected as a matter of course.”

The bar did not respond to the Recorder’s request for a comment.