THE chairman of Malvern Hills District Council is objecting to plans by the town's nightclub to stay open longer.

Coun Pat Raven says complaints about noise should be addressed before the Lighthouse can open later at night.

Derek Holder, owner of the nightclub on Spring Lane South, wants to open until 12.30am on normal Sundays and 2am on Sundays before bank holidays.

At the moment, the Lighthouse can only open until 10.30pm.

The club has applied to Malvern Hills District Council for an extended public entertainments licence and to the licensing justices for an alcohol licence. The hearing for an alcohol licence has been adjourned until May 21.

Coun Raven, a member for the Link ward, said she would be objecting to the application. This means it will have to go before the council's appeals committee.

Coun Raven said the club had been causing a noise problem despite being situated in a business park.

She said: "I have received a complaint from a resident in the new estate about noise, both from the music and from people leaving the premises.

"Until something can be done about it, I will oppose any extension of the club's hours. We need to tackle this problem before the summer, when people will want to leave windows open in the warm weather."

A police spokesman said: "My understanding is that there are no problems associated with the Lighthouse at the moment."

The club was opened late last year by businessman Derek Holder, who also runs Tramps in Worcester.

The application has been made under the new Deregulation (Sunday Licensing) Order 2001, which replaces the 200-year-old Sunday Act.

No one from the Lighthouse's management team was available for comment.