A SOCIAL club with a history of disorder was yesterday refused permission to increase the hours it sells alcohol.

Councillors refused to grant Rise Carr Sports and Social Club, in Darlington, a licence beyond 11pm on the grounds of public nuisance.

The club had wanted to serve alcohol until midnight, but Darlington Borough Council's licensing sub-committee refused the application because of complaints from neighbours about noise and disorder.

However, councillors did grant the club, in Eldon Place, permission to serve soft drinks until midnight and host entertainment until 11pm.

A 51-signature petition was put before the sub-committee and four people also submitted their objections.

The meeting was told the police had been called to incidents at the club and it had been dogged by rumours and allegations of drug dealing. Amphetamines had been found on the premises in April.

The club also operated for two days this month without being licensed. Councillor Bill Holmes, representing the ward, said the nearest house to the club was just over one metre away.

He said: "I have had a number of telephone calls and complaints, but I have found that residents will not give their names due to fear of reprisals."

Alan Murray, director of C and A Leisure, which owns the club, said: "The staff themselves in the club deal with any occasional trouble that breaks out.

"Even we (the management) do not know about it," he said. "Only on rare occasions are there issues with the police.

"As for drugs, as a company, in no way, shape or form do we condone drugs.

"On the occasion some were found, it was us who contacted the police."

But committee chairman Bill Maybrey said: "We believe noise disturbance caused by persons leaving the venue, and evidence of complaints from the area, means that to grant this application would exacerbate existing problems."