Bosses of a town centre cocktail bar say they need to stay open until 3am to meet customer demand and secure its future, despite future noise concerns.

The Grapes in Gravesend has asked for a full variation to its licence to extend the hours it can sell alcohol and play music on weekdays and Saturdays.

Applicant Karwan Ali has said he is not seeking “anything unusual”, stating that other bars and clubs in the town centre have similar operating times.

He is therefore asking Gravesham council to allow the cocktail bar to sell alcohol and play music until midnight Monday to Thursday and 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Its current licence allows it to play music until 11.30pm Sunday to Thursday and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, and sell alcohol until 11.30pm Monday to Thursday, 1am on Fridays and Saturdays and 11pm on Sundays.

There is no application to change the hours of operation for Sundays.

However, the council’s environmental health team has objected to the extension, claiming that it “would not be promoting the licensing objective of preventing public nuisance”.

The application will therefore be discussed at a licensing panel meeting on Tuesday (September 23).

Senior environmental health technician, Keith Moorhouse, stated that the premises, on the corner of Edwin Street and Milton Road, are far closer to a residential area than other bars and clubs in the area.

Therefore, he said that Mr Ali could not compare the opening hours to the likes of The Goose, as the properties surrounding that business are commercial.

In documents submitted to the panel, Mr Moorhouse added that he does not think it is reasonable for nearby residents if customers are outside the bar at 1.30am and 2am as there is “little noise mitigation”.

He said: “Whilst I acknowledge we do not have any current noise complaints against your premises, prevention is a large part of the license regime, and we do not need to wait for complaints to raise concerns and advise licensing of them.

“Extending your hours on a temporary basis for special occasions is not comparable to wishing to have your hours permanently extended, as residents would have some respite if nuisance was caused only occasionally.

“I do appreciate that as a business, your primary goal is to increase profits; however, our service must consider potential negative impacts on residents from the permanently extended hours you have requested.”

Mr Moorhouse has suggested that its hours are extended until midnight Monday to Thursday, 1am on Fridays and Saturdays and 11.30pm on Sundays.

He also requested that conditions be placed on the licence to stop the outside area from being used past 9pm, doors and windows be closed, and music and the sale of alcohol be stopped half an hour before closing.

Responding, Mr Ali said that the extension of hours has been called for by his customers who want to see more flexibility in the opening times and without it, his business would be affected.

He added: “We are very considerate of our neighbours, many of whom are regulars and supporters of our establishment.

“We pride ourselves on being a respectful and welcoming place for the community, and we value the positive relationship we have built with those living around us.

“I do want to stress that not being able to extend our hours as proposed would have a significant impact on the future of our business.

“We are committed to working with both the licensing authority and local residents to find a solution that allows us to meet customer demand while ensuring the community is not negatively affected.”

Mr Ali, who lives in Northfleet, said The Grapes already has procedures in place to ensure neighbours “are not disturbed,” such as security guards and stopping entry one hour before closing.

He also claims that the bar has not had any complaints or issues when temporary events are held under the suggested hours.

However, a written warning letter has been submitted to the panel, which was sent to Mr Ali regarding a noise complaint for “excessive music levels” on four dates.

The Grapes was previously owned by Shepherd Neame and was closed in 2022.

It reopened in 2023 with new bosses who invested £200,000 in refurbishing the premises with a bespoke bar, garden wall, ceiling and outdoor seating area.

It was also recently visited by KentOnline’s In The Mix reviewer.

She said it was a “really solid bar, making decent, interesting drinks on a budget”.