A DORCHESTER pub has lodged a bid to extend its licensing hours.

The Junction Hotel in Great Western Road has made an application to West Dorset District Council to extend the sale of alcohol and all other licensable activities except live music from 1am to 3am on Friday and Saturday nights.

The venue is also looking to bring forward the sale of alcohol from 11am to 10am on Mondays to Thursdays and 9am on Fridays and Saturdays.

The move would see the venue open at 8am to allow it to serve breakfasts.

The application will be considered by the council's licensing sub committee on Monday after half a dozen local residents responded to the consultation, raising concerns about the proposed increase of hours.

One local resident claims the move could see the pub become the 'late night drinking and dancing hub of Dorchester' and 'make the lives of the residents really quite unpleasant'.

A comment from a person who lives in Great Western Road states: "I consider extending the current situation till these times would be unreasonable and unacceptable for me and my family in our home and to this residential road."

Another Great Western Road resident states: "Late opening at The Junction will create noise for local residents whether or not the music license is also extended.

"There are many families living in Great Western Road and old people living in nearby flats who will be affected by this."

A report to be considered by the committee states that the pub's management has agreed to comply with six conditions puts forward by Dorset Police's licensing officer if the variation is agreed.

These include installing keeping an incident report register and installing CCTV that will be available for police to inspect on request.

The pub has also agreed to implement an action plan devised by the police, although it would not be a condition of the licence, the report states the designated premises supervisor would have to comply with it.

These include having two registered door staff at the premises from 10.30pm until closing on a Saturday and keeping a daily record register.

The committee will consider the representations from local residents and from the pub management and will have three options.

They will be able to grant the application as submitted, grant it with additional conditions or refuse the application or any part of it.