Nightspot celebrates 3am licence

A Torquay nightspot owner has been celebrating the New Year in style after becoming the first venue in the English Riviera to obtain permission to remain open until 3am. Café Mambo on the harbourside has been granted a drinks licence until 2am and its public entertainment licence has been extended to allow revellers to remain on the premises until 3am. A delighted Brian Harris, the owner of the club, said it was a rewarding finale to a year-long battle that had cost him nearly £10,000. "It took me seven months to even persuade Torbay Council to talk to me about such a late hour," Harris explained. "I have a 4in thick file on this application." Another Torquay nightspot, Valbonnes, recently obtained a 2am bar licence but guests must leave the club then. Other clubs in the seaside town may now follow suit by applying for later licenses. The local council says this would help prevent the streets becoming too overcrowded late at night. Harris claimed the resort needed more late-night entertainment spots to meet the demands of local people and attract more young visitors. Torbay Council cabinet member Paul Price, who has responsibility for licensing, has issued an open invitation for other clubs to follow. "We want to extend public entertainment licences to avoid the mad dash out onto the streets at 2am," he said. "It will be interesting to see what happens with this licence and we will be watching it closely to see how it works out.