TRENDY wine bar Funky Mojoes could win a licence to serve alcohol until 2am, just months after it was told to stop at midnight.

Councillors will meet next week to discuss an application from the owners of the High Street nightspot to trade under a new name – Newco Bar and Restaurant – and remain open until 2am.

But neighbours fear that it will just enable the bar to retain the customers they say have made their lives a misery through anti-social behaviour.

Dennis Woods, of nearby Churchfields, said: “I am opposed in principle to any sort of licensed premises in that location.

“To be quite honest I’m amazed that they allowed a licence for a place like that, in a residential location, with lots of elderly people living nearby.”

Freddie Shaw, of nearby Manor Court, said: “We feel that it’s going to add more people to the premises, and it is going to cause more disruption and anti-social behaviour. It’s still going to be a drinking establishment.

“They already have a capacity for over 400 so if they were to add in a restaurant upstairs, then even more people would cause even more problems.”

In May the bar was ordered to stop serving alcohol at midnight by Redbridge Council after a fierce campaign by residents, but the bar has continued to serve until 2am at weekends pending an appeal hearing next month.

Objectors have put together a dossier of evidence citing incidents involving violence, noise and traffic problems, while 40 residents of the adjoining Manor Court Lodge retirement flats have signed a petition asking for the application to be refused.

Despite this, the police have no objection to the new licence application, while council officers say they have no concerns over crime and disorder.

Officers have nevertheless recommended that the new application be turned down. The bar’s owner, Ross Drogman, was not available for comment * The meeting will be held at Ilford Town Hall on Tuesday, October 20 at 4pm.