CONTROVERSIAL plans to allow a Great Harwood pub to open later and to host live music will be discussed by councillors tomorrow.

The Walmsley Arms in Queen Street wants to stay open from 10am until 2.30am seven days a week, and be able to welcome bands and artists between noon and midnight.

Landlord John Yeoman said he is simply bringing his ‘old fashioned pub’ up to date and in line with others in the town, but residents and a local councillor have objected to the plans.

In an application to Hyndburn Council, the pub’s licencee John Yeoman, said he wanted to play both live and recorded music at the venue, and to extend its beer garden and smoking area.

The pub’s current licence allows it to open until midnight, play recorded music until 11pm from Monday to Saturday and 10.30pm on Sunday, but does not currently allow live music performances inside.

Its planning application, lodged with Hyndburn Council, was met by two objections from members of the public.

The council has not released their names, but one resident said: “We do not want this on our doorstep, it is a residential area. These are our homes where we want, and deserve, peace and tranquility.”

Another local added: “As a resident on the street behind the pub, I can say the noise from it and the noise on the street from people leaving the pub and hanging out is terrible.”

Independent councillor for Great Harwood, Ian Robinson, said: “The residents around there are up in arms and they have asked for a meeting with police.

“I will be objecting to this because there is a lot of anti-social behaviour.

“The pub is in a residential area, and residents have been complaining for 15 years.”

But Mr Yeoman said the pub has been opening later with temporary licences since December, and hasn’t received a single complaint.

He said: “The last time the police attended was something stupid like 1996.

“Every other pub in the town opens until later and we are just catching them up. “It’s 50s plus that come here, we have no young idiots.”

Councillors sitting on a licensing sub-committee will discuss the application at 4pm tomorrow.