A FORMER social club in north Durham is being reopened as live entertainment venue.

Businessman Paul Montgomery has promised to bring top acts to Stanley when he reopens The Hibernian on Station Road.

The workingmen’s club, which closed because it was no longer viable, was one of the most popular places to drink in the town for several decades.

Mr Montgomery, who owned Monty’s, now The Top House, on Front Street, and runs The Royal nearby, said he hopes the plan would revive the fortunes of the former mining town.

He is investing about £250,000 and hopes to create about 40 jobs.

The scheme was given the backing of councillors at a licensing committee, who tweaked the application following concerns about noise disturbance.

Mr Montgomery said: “We will have varying acts, top acts from the 70s, 80s and present like I did at the Top (of Front Street). I brought a lot of top ten acts and we will work along those lines.

“It will be those that people will want to see in the area. I truly believe that people in Stanley go to Durham or Newcastle for this night out.

“If we have the right entertainment people may come in to Stanley because they want to see whoever is on stage.”

The application was for the club to be open until 2.30am at weekends but Richard Wormald, senior environmental health officer at Durham County Council, expressed concerns about the effect noise from the venue would have on residents.

He said: “I do not agree with the proposed timing of regulated entertainment and the sale of alcohol.

“We believe that the club is based in a residential area and the hours for Friday and Saturday will have a significant impact on the local area.”

One neighbour has lodged an objection along with Durham County Councillor Olga Milburn, who represents the area on the authority.

She said: “My objection is not that the premises are going to be put back into use. My objection is that the premises are being turned, per se, into a night club.”

Members of Durham County Council’s licensing committee approved the application but curtailed the opening hours on Fridays and Saturdays from 2.30am to 2am.

It can open until 11.30pm Monday to Thursday and until 12.30am on Sundays. The venue will be open from 9am to serve breakfasts.