BOSSES at Lancaster's biggest and newest nightclub have been stunned by a city council decision to reduce their opening hours.

After two and a half days hearing damning evidence from the police, councillors decided to grant Liquid Nightclub a public entertainment licence for six months but insisted they close their doors at 1am.

Club owners had pleaded with the licensing committee to let them have another chance to put their house in order.

But councillors were swayed by police evidence of a huge increase in violent disturbances, under-age drinking and a failure to comply with strict guidelines on how many clubbers were permitted to the upper floor.

During the hearing, Liquid's owners Luminar Leisure - one of the biggest nightclub owners in the country - said that councillors should not penalise the majority of law abiding party goers because of a tiny minority.

They told the committee they had sacked the previous manager, were installing new security cameras and barriers and would take on more door staff. But, by a majority decision, the councillors decided to act and reduced the opening hours to help reduce the number of clubbers spilling onto North Road at 2am. This will be reviewed in six months' time.

A spokesman for Liquid has explained that they will be appealing against the decision. Until that appeal has been heard the club will be allowed to continue trading until 2am.

The club's management said that they knew what the authority and the police expected and were happy to comply.