POLICE are urging a council to refuse an application to extend a club's hours over fears it could lead to a rise in crime.

Just months after losing his public entertainment licence for his Cubes venue, Scott Moon has applied to Blackburn with Darwen Council for permission to open Chocolate, in Duke Street, Blackburn, for longer.

Cubes, also in Duke Street, closed in January ahead of a new project to increase the size of the club. The venue lost its licence in December after residents claimed noise was keeping them awake.

Mr Moon is appealing through the courts to have the refusal to renew the licence lifted. All venues which open late, hold discos or play loud music are required to have a public entertainment licence. Cubes is owned and managed by Mr Moon but Chocolate's licensee is his mother, Janina. A report to today's licensing committee states that Mr Moon is the manager of the venue.

Currently, Chocolate can open from 11am to 1am the following morning from Wednesday to Saturday, and 12 noon to midnight on a Sunday.

First, committee members will have to decide whether to renew the current licence. The report states inspections have revealed minor faults to the premises which have been reported to Mr Moon.

Like Cubes, the premises is also being monitored by the council's noise pollution experts after complaints from neighbours.

Mr Moon was fined £600 by Blackburn Magistrates for being in charge of Chocolate with unregistered doormen -- something which breaches the terms of a public entertainment licence. He appeared in court on March 11, according to the council report. He also had to pay council costs.

Mr Moon wants to be able to open until 2am every day apart from Sundays when he wants to remain open until 12.30am. On bank holidays he will also be allowed to open until 2am.

But PC Steve Finlay, Blackburn Police's licensing officer, stated in a letter to the council that there had been a number of incidents in the "immediate vicinity" of Chocolate over the previous four months, of which 12 had been of a disorderly or violent nature. He said he visited the premises regularly and the licensee was never there.

"I would object in the strongest terms to the proposed extension."

Mr Moon could not be contacted to comment.