OPPOSITION to the proposed nightclub in Christopher Place in the city centre has forced St Albans District Council to convene a special meeting to hear SMC Leisure's application for an entertainment licence.

The company has faced determined resistance to its plans for the former Phil's Snooker Hall premises.

A district council spokesman said more than 100 letters objecting to the entertainment licence had ben received to date.

She added: "Given the scale of the opposition it has been decided that a special committee will hear the application on September 4."

Members of one of the largest action groups opposing the nightclub, tentatively titled Save our Sleep (SOS), packed the district council chamber on Tuesday evening, June 25, at a meeting arranged by St Peter's ward councillors Helen Ives-Rose, Lynette Warren and Una Dunleavy.

Councillor Ives-Rose said after the meeting: "There is obviously enormous concern in the area and as councillors we wanted to do everything we can to help residents express their views as clearly as possible.

"A club with a 700 capacity such as this is clearly a big issue and raises questions about the future make-up of St Albans city centre and as such it is important it is considered very seriously."

SOS spokesman Eric Roberts said: "People have not really woken up to this yet and we are trying to raise awareness of the potential damage this club could cause.

"The amount of anti-social behaviour caused late at night is just about tolerable at the moment but this would tip the balance the wrong way and that is to say nothing about the threat to residents' car parking spaces."

Meanwhile, a planning application to turn the Adelaide Nightclub, Adelaide Street, St Albans, into four two-bedroom flats was received this week by St Albans District Council.

June 27, 2002 11:00