Club's plan opposed over owner's parking tickets

James McDonald has applied to extend opening hours at K2 and The Union in Consett

An application to extend a nightclub's opening hours has been opposed by police, citing its owner's "contempt for the law" after he racked up 175 parking tickets.

James McDonald has applied to Durham County Council to increase the hours of K2 and The Union in Consett from 02:00 to 03:30.

Durham Police said it questioned the "credibility" of Mr McDonald as a licence holder, quoting "considerable sums outstanding" on business rates and unpaid parking fines.

Mr McDonald said the parking tickets were not related to his business and were to do with a long-standing dispute near his home. He said not being able to open until late was affecting his ability to pay rates.

K2 and The Union, on Front street, operate as a bar downstairs and club upstairs.

The council is due to discuss the application at a meeting on Wednesday.

'Unfair treatment'

Mr McDonald also runs two other venues in the town - Chaplains, also on Front Street, and Calamity's, on Station Road.

He said he only owed outstanding rates for K2 and The Union and "that's due to the lack of trade because of the early closing".

A previous attempt to extend its hours was rejected. At the time, the licensing committee considered representations which highlighted a potential increase in crime and disorder if another venue was to be allowed to open for longer.

Mr McDonald said two other premises on Front Street had a licence to operate at least until 03:00 and he felt the police force's stance was "unfair". He said it was "one rule for one and one for another" at times.

In a letter to the Reform UK-led council, Sgt Caroline Dickenson said if the application was approved, there would be three premises open until late within 165ft (50m) of each other, which was "totally unnecessary".

Sgt Dickenson claimed Mr McDonald had shown "a flagrant disregard" to parking laws and business rate payments, which had cost the local authority "considerable time and money" to chase.

She added that it led her "to question his credibility and fitness" to be a licence holder and designated premise supervisor.

"I would argue that someone who shows such a contempt for the law cannot be relied upon to uphold it in their premises and these finding raise serious doubts at to whether he should have a premises licence never mind extra hours."

Noise concerns

Mr McDonald said the issue with the parking tickets was "personal".

"The council are more than aware of what's going on with that," he said.

He added that as a business owner he had "always supported the police" and was part of the local Pubwatch scheme.

"Hopefully it will be resolved rather than it being an argument and we'll come out [of it with] a resolution," he said.

Mr McDonald said he would be happy for conditions to be placed on the extension to the opening hours.

"We're happy to do everything that needs to be done."

As part of the licencing process, a consultation was launched ahead of the discussion, with the council's environmental health department also lodging an objection.

It said it agreed with the police's concerns and quoted "close proximity" of residential properties which would be affected by noise during the early hours.