Battle over nightclub closing times set to continue

The seemingly endless battle of wills between the Royal Borough planning committee and Windsor's Mantra nightclub shows no sign of being settled.

The club at Goswell Hill has settled its battle with the authority's licensing department which had reduced its closing hours from 3am to 1am last June - a 2am compromise was agreed in December.

But a separate 1am restriction still stands - imposed as part of a planning permission granted years before the current Licensing Law was brought it. Theoretically, this overrides the licensing department's more generous decision.

At the next meeting of the Royal Borough's urban development control panel, which is due to be held in Windsor's Guildhall on Wednesday, April 24, Mantra will apply yet again for planning permission to open until 2am at weekends - in line with its licensing permission.

Planning officers are advising councillors to stick to the 1am restriction on the grounds of noise and disturbance to nearby residents.