PLANS for longer opening hours at a new Dorchester cocktail bar are not being backed by Dorchester town councillors.

They have suggested that the bar remains limited to 1.30am for a year – before the application is looked at again.

Permission to add a lobby to the front of the Hendover Cafe, previously known at Panini’s, was granted in June, together with the change of use to a cocktail bar, but the owners have since objected to the 12-month limit on the opening hours and want it to be permanent and up to 0230.

The current conditions allows from 0080 until 0030 on Sunday to Thursday and 0800 until 0130 on Friday and Saturday, but after a year this would revert automatically to 0800-2300 Sunday to Thursday and 0800 to 0030 Friday and Saturday.

At their meeting on Monday evening town councillors said it would be better to keep the approved opening hours for 12 months and then judge whether any longer hours were needed. If so, the applicant, could apply again.

The committee heard that nearby properties in Brewery Square are shut by 0030 at weekends, with most closing by 2330 in the week although there are licensed properties in the town centre which can stay open until 0430.

Cllr Molly Rennie said she had no objection to the change of use but thought the hours currently agree should remain in place for just a year: “If it stays as it is for a year it will give an opportunity to prove there is no problems for neighbours,” she said.

Cllr Fiona Kent-Ledger backed the idea pointing out that the bar had not yet opened and that the district council’s environmental health team were in favour of an initial one-year time limit to assess the situation.