OBJECTORS fear an ambitious new restaurant and music venue on the site of a former hospital in North Yorkshire’s county town will mean late night noise and disturbance.

Developers say they want to create a family friendly bar and garden, the Potting Shed, on the site of the former Rutson Hospital in the centre of Northallerton.

But their application for a drinks licence is asking for opening hours from 10am to 1.30pm, with music up to 1pm, for six days a week and up to 11.30pm on Sunday - and local residents are voicing concern.

Members of Hambleton District Council’s licensing panel will decide tomorrow, Wednesday, if their plan, which includes extensive beer gardens and a roof terrace, should be approved.

Letters of objection have been sent in by residents in two neighbouring properties which concerned about the noise and late nights as well as by George Crow, the licensee of the town’s Golden Lion hotel.

He warned the scheme as put forward would allow for up to 1,306 people on the site and added: “I wish to object to the proposed new Potting Shed licenses premises, formerly the Rutson Hospital, on the grounds it could lead to an increase in public order and noise offences. “

Elderly neighbours have also objected to the scheme.

They said: “There could be large numbers of people outside at 1.30am or later generating a huge amount of noise and disturbance.”

Solicitor Paddy Whur, acting for the developer, a small chain which has two other pubs in the Leeds area, said the company’s business model was to trade as a family-friendly food-led environment with an open pizza oven and featuring sheds in the garden which have proved very popular with children and families.

He said the outside areas would not be used after 11pm with all food and drink consumed and areas cleared by the same time, with live music acts finishing at 9pm.