A cocktail bar has been granted permission to extend its late night hours, despite a concern over noise.

Alcohol can now be served at Rhino & Bull's in King Street, Dover, until 2.30am on Fridays and Saturdays – an extension of 90 minutes from the current 1am.

Recorded music, so far played until 1am, can now be played until 2.45am on Fridays and Saturdays.

The club’s opening hours have been extended to 3am on the same nights.

Permission was given for the new hours at a meeting of Dover District Council’s licensing sub-committee.

The bar’s co-owners Carl Ambrose and Kayley Bull are delighted with the extended hours.

Ms Bull told KentOnline: “I’m pleased, this is really good news.”

Rhino & Bull’s, in Dover town centre, has had a premises licence since 2019 and this application was for a formal variation of the licence.

There was one published written objection to the application from a neighbouring woman whose name is undisclosed

She wrote: “A lot of noise comes from the people who leave the area.

“I have young children and my neighbours have babies and toddlers. Everybody has disturbed sleep.

“If you want a late night venue relocate to a non-residential area.

“People need to consider the location: 3am means people outside until up to 4am.”

She added that the area already had three pubs within a minute’s walk

The council’s questionnaire form she filled asks what evidence there was to support an objection and she replied: “Come to my house and you will see for yourself.”

Kent Police raised no objections and the applicants explained that two rather than one member of door staff would be used in the last hours to keep order, which was agreed by the sub-committee.

CCTV would also be operated.

Council officers told the councillors the flats above the bar were at present empty and there could be complaints of noise once they were re-occupied.

But they added that such complaints in this area were sparse and not significant enough to consider refusing the application.

Mr Ambrose had previously told KentOnline that this application was needed as Rhino and Bull’s was losing customers to other nearby premises that were open late.

It comes as another bar is set to open in the town.

Work has now started on a new music venue and nighclub, called the Art Club, which will be a few hundred yards away in Market Square.

It takes over an empty unit previously used by the Bairstow Eves estate agents.