AN APPEAL hearing against a decision to reduce a troubled bar's opening hours will take three days, a court has decided.

The owners of Funky Mojoes, in High Road, South Woodford, are challenging a council ruling, which saw the bar's closing times cut from 3am to 1am at weekends and midnight during the week.

Residents complained of noise from the bar, which has been blighted by anti-social behaviour and violent incidents.

Solicitors representing the bar's owners and council officials appeared at Redbridge Magistrates' Court this week to decide when the appeal will be heard.

The hearing will begin on November 11 and will take three days because of the large volume of evidence to be considered.

Marco Kapp, whose seriously ill mother Paula, 84, lives only a few feet away from the bar at the Manor Court Lodge retirement flats, said he hopes the council will uphold its decision.

He said: “For my mum, living next to Funky Mojoes has been a nightmare and it's almost as if they have done everything they can to put off the day of reckoning. I'm sure they will continue to do so.

“We feel very strongly about this and the family will fight it all the way.

“I think everybody who isn't part of the licensing community thinks it's outrageous that a dying old lady can't get rest at night because people are getting drunk outside her window.”

Owner of Funky Mojoes Ross Drogman said: “We invite residents to attend the meeting and voice their concerns.

“We believe we are a well-run establishment and, according to the community safety team, we are not even in the top ten worst bars in Redbridge.”