Longridge cocktail and entertainment bar The Stage door applies to change opening hours - here's why

A popular Longridge bar is looking to extend its opening hours.

Bosses at the Stage Door on the ground floor of The Old Cornmill in Stanley Street, want to be able to open from 9am till 11pm Sunday to Thursday and between 9am and 1am the following day on Friday and Saturday.

Check out these pictures from when the Stage Door opened

What is it currently?

When planning approval was granted in 2022, conditions were imposed limiting the operating hours to between 9am and 11pm on any day of the week. Ribble Valley Borough Council stipulated that any live or amplified music had to cease by 10pm and all customers had to have evacuated the premises by 11pm. The reason they gave was: “The use of the premises and amplified sound outside of these hours could prove injurious to the character of the area and in order to safeguard residential amenities.”

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Why is change needed?

In a statement to the council, the agent for the bar owners said: “The operator of The Stage Door is aware that there is demand from his customers for longer opening hours on Friday and Saturday evenings. The peak period of customers is 9pm to 11pm closing time. Allowing an extended opening time after 11pm on Friday and Saturday will provide a venue to serve the local community and allow a steadier dispersal of customers.”

They add that the extended weekend opening hours of the bar “is likely to be attractive to the local community and visitors” and would “strengthen the business”.

They note that other town centre venues have permission to operate later than 11pm, and note that a noise assessement carried out to assess the impact of the proposed later weekend showed that extended opening times “will not adversely impact upon adjoining residential properties.”

A decision will be made by Ribble Valley Borough Council in coming weeks.