Restrictions on new Bristol bars and clubs to be kept

The restricted city centre zone is the last of its kind in Bristol

Restrictions preventing new pubs, nightclubs and takeaways from opening in Bristol city centre will be kept.

The policy covers a zone from the harbourside to Stokes Croft and from the Clifton Triangle to the edge of Broadmead.

Council officers advised scrapping the rules but police and residents raised concerns that more venues could lead to an increase in crime and disorder.

It means that a new licensing application is presumed to be refused.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the technical term for an area banning the licencing of new premises is a cumulative impact area, or CIA.

This means the area faces extra rules due to high levels of litter, crime, anti-social behaviour and public urination.

Council officers had proposed scrapping the CIA but the licensing committee voted to keep the policy in place during a meeting on Thursday, with seven votes in favour and four against.

Green Party councillor Guy Poultney suggested some venues were encouraging excessive drinking before "booting out" customers "to be somebody else's problem".

"Unless you have something in place to refuse that, then that's what you get," he said.

Labour councillor Chris Jackson objected to the restrictions and suggested a review in a year's time.

Anybody wishing to open a licensed premises has to apply to Bristol City Council for permission to do so

Some local residents said they had "grown tired" of reporting complaints and seeing little action.

Janet Wilson, a Queen Square resident, said: "We've had terrible problems late at night with drinking carousers thinking that the square is unoccupied and keeping us awake.

"In the end we've had to deal with incidents on our doorstep ourselves, putting ourselves in danger.

"The idea of getting rid of the CIA - which at the moment gives some monitoring and balance - fills us with horror," she added.

New venues can still open inside the CIA and the policy is not a blanket ban.

Instead, the rules mean that a new licensing application to Bristol City Council is presumed to be refused unless applicants can prove they won't add to the impact of nearby venues already operating after 23:00.

The restrictions are set to be reviewed every three years.