PLANS for a new bar have been approved despite residents' fears it will lead to noise, crime and disorder returning.
John and Jane Falco, the owners of McQueens in Station Road, Chingford, applied for permission to sell alcohol and play recorded music from 11am to 11pm Sunday to Thursday and 11am to 1am Friday and Saturday.
The council's licensing department received seven objections from people living nearby who were concerned it would cause further anti-social behaviour in the area.
But the licensing committee, which met today (December 6), approved the bar's licence.
The premises were known as Bar Lush under previous owners and was closed following a drugs raid in August 2009.
The meeting heard from concerned resident Louise Cimelli, of Beresford Road, who said her house backs on to the proposed new bar and other bars along Station Road.
She said she had previously suffered when the bar would regularly have up to 40 revellers in the forecourt smoking and making noise.
She added: “North Chingford has become like a strip on a Spanish seaside resort.
“People are hooting their horns at 1.30am when they can't park. I have children aged three-years-old and nine-months old who are trying to sleep at that time.
“People living nearby get people kicking their fences and throwing rubbish into their gardens.”
John Falco, the owner of McQueens, said he owned the bar until eight years ago.
He said: “I do sympathise with the neighbours. No one wants to be living somewhere noisy.
“I am a responsible landlord. If I lose my licence the business would run down.
“It's in mine and my family's interest to run it successfully.”
He added that he would be imposing a strict limit on 10 people being allowed to smoke on the forecourt at any one time.
Mrs Cimelli said she was happy with the restriction which would help with the noise and anti-social behaviour problem.
“If you can control that I'm happy for you to be there. We want to be respected as residents and not seen as a nuisance,” she added.
Councillor Pater Barnet, chair of the committee, said: “We ask that (Mr Falco) maintains contact with residents so they can feedback problems to him so he can resolve them before coming to the council.”
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