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A Preston cafe has been granted a drinks licence despite worries locally it could turn into a noisy bar.

The Parkside Cafe on Blackpool Road at Ashton, which has an outdoor seating area, will be allowed to open until 11:30pm subject to a series of strict conditions.

Drinkers will not be allowed on the terrace after 9pm and the outside space will have to shut at 10pm under orders from the city council's licensing sub-committee.

The decision follows long-running concerns over the potential for late night noise and also parking in nearby residential streets.

The view of the cafe's outside area from a neighbouring house.

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Two objections from neighbours were submitted to the local authority opposing the plan from neighbours whose homes overlooked the outside seating area.

The owners of the cafe agreed to limit the use of the patio and also ensure outside lighting was designed to minimise nuisance to those living nearby.

The cafe pledged to introduce CCTV and adopt a zero tolerance policy on under-age drinking. After those concessions one of the complainants withdraw their objection.

The outside seating area which will only be open to drinkers until 9pm.

When the application for the premises licence was first submitted in December one neighbour wrote to the authority with concerns over noise, parking and light pollution from the outside seating area.

"This would greatly affect our quality of life and detract from the enjoyment of our home and garden,” they said.

"With recent additions we consider the Lane Ends area to be adequately served with licensed premises."

The other said: "As a local resident I am concerned that this well-established cafe is about to be turned into a pub, tap bar.

Parkside Cafe in Blackpool Road, Preston

"Should the licence be approved it should be strictly limited to that of the other local tap bars and operate only between 4pm and 10pm. No late night hours allowed.

"I am concerned about extra late night noise - our property overlooks the rear of 497 Blackpool Road (the cafe).

"In my personal opinion we have more than enough bars in the Lane Ends area."

The sub-committee heard that the owner of the cafe had been in discussions with one of the concerned neighbours and that resident had withdrawn their objection after additional amenity measures were promised.

They included the rule which banned drinking in the outdoor seating area after 9pm and any used of the terrace after 10pm.

Preston cafe’s pledge to limit outside drinking after bar licence is granted