A CONTROVERSIAL plan to extend a Winchester fast food restaurants closing hours on Friday and Saturday was refused.

The plan by Amsric foods to extend the closing hours of KFC in Upper Brook Street from between 11pm to 4am upset nearby residents.

Neighbours living in Upper Brook Street said they feared the noise coming from clubbers coming out of Vodka Bar already gives them sleepless nights and if the license was accepted this would become "agony".

Michael Coker-Davies from Upper Brook Street, wrote: "Any extension to KFC's opening hours at all would I feel bring issues to breaking point. We are a street with families and young children, the elderly and the infirm as well as just ordinary people trying to get on with their lives."

Max Johnston also objected, he wrote:"Were KFC allowed to stay open until 4am it would cause considerable upset to us and fellow residents of Upper Brook Street, who already suffer from unpleasant smells and disturbances from Dominos Pizza and KFC."

Representatives from KFC said at the licensing sub-committee meeting they were happy to amend the plan to 2am after taking onboard several letters of objection.

They offered to put in place a member of SIA security personnel and to carry out litter picking of the street in the morning, they said these proposals will help residents and the 2am closing time will help with dispersal of people from Vodka Bar.

Representing Amsric Foods,Charles T F Streeten claimed the fears of neighbours about litter and noise were from issues surrounding Vodka Bar and unrelated to KFC.

He admitted one of the schemes objectives was to "capitalise" on night time trade from clubbers.

Environmental officer Phil Tidridge called for the premises to scale back its closing hours further to 1am.

Police licensing officer Brian Swallow said there were 13 incidents of assault and 18 of antisocial behaviour.

PC Swallow said police were against the original plan and said it could lead to assaults, but described the amendment as a "positive step" but said there should be more security staff at KFC to deal with problems.

Chairman of the licensing sub committee councillor Fiona Mather concluded: "Despite the fact the responsibility on the authorities would be less troubled by a 2am closing time, the sub committee having listened to residents are not satisfied that the license objectives of preventing crime and disorder will be met."

After the meeting Michael Coker-Davies, said: "I am very pleased with the decision hopefully this is a turning curve with Winchester City Council looking after its residents ahead of the license trade and the fast food trade."