A NATIONAL leisure chain is hoping to overturn city councillors' refusal to grant an entertainment licence for a new nightspot.

Regent Inns plans to spend £2m converting Durham's Robins Cinema into an Australian-themed bar that would open until 1am, Monday to Saturday.

The plan ran into strong objections from the city's police, residents and the company that owns the DH1 and Caf Rock nightclubs, nearby in North Road.

Durham City Council's licensing panel last month refused the application after a nine-hour hearing.

One of the main concerns of councillors was the risk of fuelling the city's increasing late-night disorder problem.

The London company has lodged an appeal against the decision and hopes magistrates will overturn it.

It has lodged a fresh planning application for the cinema's conversion even though it won permission from the council earlier this year.

Caf Rock managing director Steve Anderson is seeking a judicial review of the planning approval.

He claims councillors were "misled" by an officers' report and that the council could not give approval as the company had already lodged an appeal, because its application had not been decided within the statutory time.

The City of Durham Trust opposed the planning application, entertainment licence and the drinks licence application, which has yet to be heard.

Chairman Roger Cornwell said the trust would continue to oppose the company's plans.

He said: "There will be a hearing about the entertainment licence appeal on Monday, September 17, at Derwentside Magistrates' Court, in Consett.

"I gather this hearing will be held to try to find a suitable date to hear the appeal.

"We will be contesting the appeal, and will be making arrangements for people without transport to get to the hearing.''

Mr Cornwell said he believed the firm had resubmitted the planning application in the hope of winning approval again, and avoiding its plans being delayed by a judicial review.

He said: "It is vital that people who objected to the first application object again."

No one was available to comment from Regent Inns.