LICENSING chiefs have agreed to extend opening hours at a popular Flintshire nightclub - against the advice of police officers.

Flintshire’s licensing committee yesterday granted permission for the Tivoli on Brunswick Road, Buckley to remain open until 3.30am every day.

Previous conditions imposed on the club by North Wales Police meant bar staff had to stop serving at 2am and close the premises doors an hour later.

A minimum of six door staff had to be employed between midnight and 2am and the club was banned from running promotions on alcoholic drinks.

But owner Faz Miah made a passionate appeal to the committee for more support after submitting the application for an extra hour of serving time.

He said: “Twelve months ago the Tiv was about to close and we put together a rescue package to save it.

“It is part of the community and there would have been a lot more problems if it had been boarded up, because of vandals and people setting fire to the building.

“It is costing me nearly £1,000 to even open the doors, because I have to pay six door staff. It seems very excessive.

“If there were more people coming through the door then I would put more staff on, but there aren’t.

“I’m on my knees. I’ve invested a lot of time and money into the Tiv. I didn’t want to see it close because it is Flintshire’s only nightclub and has been for the last 41 years. I’m just trying to run a business and I need more support or I won’t be able to carry on.”

Cllr Bernie Attridge, chairman of the licensing committee, agreed to the extension of opening hours and cut the number of compulsory door staff to a minimum of four.

The ban on drinks promotions was also lifted.

South Flintshire inspector Martin Best said the conditions imposed on the club last year had significantly brought down the amount of crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.

He added: “There were 62 reported incidents of crime and disorder directly related to the Tivoli between January and September last year.

“Since September, when we started working in partnership with the premises, there has been just one.”

He said the licensing committee’s decision was against the wishes of both local police officers and residents living nearby, who said their lives were being disrupted by the level of noise at the club.

But Cllr Attridge said the Tivoli is being ‘well-run’ and had to be treated fairly.