OXFORD’S Park End Street has been officially labelled as “full” for late-night drinking.

Licensing officials kicked out an application for Las Iguanas to extend the sale of alcohol at weekends by an hour and a half, from 12.30am until 2am.

Police said more people being out on the street at 2am would worsen existing trouble.

A police spokesman said: “The premises are located within the main hub of Oxford’s night time economy and as such the area worst affected by the fall out from the licensed trade.

“The vast majority of premises in the immediate area start dispersing their clients from 2am onwards.

“It is our belief the injection of yet further persons into this situation will only exacerbate the issues.”

The restaurant in Park End Street had applied to extend the sale of alcohol on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Bank Holiday Sundays.

West Central Oxford county councillor Susanna Pressel was one of those to object.

She said: “We have to bear in mind it is a residential area and we want it to stay a residential area.

“I have no objection to clubs but I think that part of town has reached saturation point and we have got enough now.”

The proposal had also met with stern opposition from residents.

Neighbour Ian Hart of The Stream Edge on Fisher Row, said: “Living just off Park End Street I can tell you that most nights of the week the street scene after approximately 10pm is anarchic.

“Crowds of youths wander the street drunk, often urinating into the river, vomitting or just shouting for hours on end.”

Las Iguanas also applied to extend late-night refreshment – hot non-alcoholic drinks and hot food – on the same days, from 12.30am to 2.30am, and this was granted.

The applicant had proposed a number of conditions such as a CCTV camera being installed and maintained, a 30-minute drinking up period, use of a refuse store and late-night refreshment being restricted to consumption on the premises. Oxford City Council currently operates a saturation policy in the city centre which limits the number of licensed premises.

Councillor Clark Brundin, who chaired the licensing committee meeting, said: “People would be coming out on the streets at the same time as other people at 2am. Taking everything into account we decided not to increase the hours.

“It is now formal council policy which makes it possible for us to refuse an application if we think it is increasing the risk of public disorder. We were simply implementing that policy.”

Las Iguanas was unavailable for comment.

Also decided was an application for 42, Park End Street – the former site of nightclub Kukui which is currently shut.

An application was granted for films, live music, recorded music, dance, facilities for dancing and the sale of alcohol between the hours of 11am and 2am Monday to Saturday and 12pm to 12am on Sunday.

dfantato@oxfordmail.co.uk