A new restaurant and bar is set to “bring a bit of life” back to a high street – but bosses insist it will not be a “rowdy pub”.

A premises licence has been granted for Acordo Lounge in Deal, which will replace the empty unit formerly occupied by M&Co.

The scheme had faced objections from residents who claim the town already has “enough hooligans and drunken behaviour now”.

But bosses say it will be a “family-friendly” venue and help reinvigorate the high street which has “a number of vacant premises”.

Dover District Council’s licensing sub-committee gave the plans the green light on Tuesday night, meaning Acordo Lounge can serve alcohol until midnight seven days a week, despite the concerns from neighbours.

Operations manager Mark Bishop told KentOnline after the hearing: “We are really excited to move to Deal. It will bring a lot to the town.

“We are centred around families and local communities. If anybody wants to they can look at any of the other sites we have - our offer is not that of a rowdy pub.”

The premises licence allows the serving of alcohol from 10am to midnight seven days a week and late-night refreshments of hot food and hot drinks, from 11.30pm to 12.30am.

The venue will be open from 8am, until 12.30am and Mr Bishop says it will have an emphasis on food, particularly vegan and gluten-free dishes, rather than being a pub.

There would also be six tables and 12 chairs outside.

There are 190 Loungers outlets in the country, but only one other in Kent, Sentado in Sittingbourne.

Mr Bishop, who will be responsible for the new bar as regional manager, told the sub-committee: “The company was established more than 21 years ago.

“But we are staying away from the chain label. Each bar has a different name. “

The Deal one will be called Acordo, which means agreement in Spanish. Sentado means sitting.

Loungers has also applied for planning permission for new signage.

Mr Bishop stressed there will be no major structural changes - so it is hoped the new bar could open in a couple of months.

There were no representations about this application from official groups such as Kent Police.

But two members of the public sent in written objections.

Yvonne Stewart, of St Richard’s Road, Deal said. “Deal has enough public houses and restaurants. We have enough hooligans and drunken behaviour now.

“I used to live in a flat in the high street. The noise, screaming and shouting from drunk people having fights etc it was awful.

“I used to dread the evenings and eventually we sold up and moved.”

Liz Hicks of Beechwood Avenue, Deal, said: “A deadline of midnight seems much too late for people living in the area being kept awake by potentially loud punters who have been drinking inside and out.”

Robert Botkai, a solicitor representing the company, told the committee: “We will be more busy in the late morning and early afternoon.

“We intend to work with the local community and local charities.

“We don't necessarily have to serve alcohol every day until midnight but the licence for that time would be an umbrella.

“There would be no loud music to cause disturbance.

“The objectors say they don’t want another pub. This is not a pub: the emphasis is on food.

“There are a number of vacant premises in the High Street and this would bring a bit of life back into it.”