An application for a variation of a premises licence in Tenby has been given the thumbs down by local councillors who fear that increasing a pub’s hours could spark late-night disturbances again.

An application to vary the premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003 from Punch Taverns Plc, in respect of the Three Mariners Inn on St. Georges Street, came before members of the town council at their meeting on Tuesday night.

The application seeks to extend the opening hours of the premises to 1.30 am from Monday to Sunday.

When discussing the matter, the town clerk told members that Pembrokeshire County Council’s licensing authority had previously reduced the public house’s hours of operation in a bid to reduce late-night anti-social behaviour.

In 2015, the county council’s licensing sub-committee considered an application from Dyfed-Powys Police to change the pub’s licensing conditions, following a number of complaints from local officers and residents, and the premises was told that it must close at 11.30 pm every day, after the review.

Clr. Tony Brown said that he was ‘against’ granting the pub an extension in hours again, and felt that the ‘status quo’ should be maintained.

“Right about now before the busy summer season would not be the best time to extend the pub’s operating hours again in my opinion, as we’d be looking for trouble in allowing the premises to stay open ’til 1.30 am, with so many residents in that area and businesses,” he remarked.

“I’m not against the premises opening at 7 am for special events, but I do have reservations about a closing time of 1.30 am.

“There are enough pubs open until that time to serve Tenby. Maybe we can look at this again in another year’s time,” added Clr. Brown.

Clr. Trevor Hallett said that there had been very few reports of late night/early hours disturbances in that area of town, since the operating hours of the premises had been reduced.

“If it has benefited that area by closing early, then I don’t see the point in approving this application,” he said.

Clr. Ben James asked if residents and businesses in the vicinity of the premises had been made aware of this application.

The town clerk said that the licence holders had a statutory obligation to put a sign up on their premises and advertised the application in the local press. He also said that details would be on Pembrokeshire County Council’s website.

Councillors agreed to recommend refusal of the application on the grounds that increasing the hours could lead to crime and disorder, and anti-social behaviour, as well as late-night disturbances to neighbouring properties.

Their views will be passed on to PCC’s licensing department.