Council Hearing Set Over Hartlepool Bar’s Bid to Stay Open Until 3.30am..
Church Street Bar Wants to Stay Open Until 3.30am Seven Days a Week
1st October 2026
A Hartlepool town centre bar is seeking permission to remain open until 3.30am seven days a week — but the plans have attracted formal objections from Cleveland Police and two council departments.
The Lodge Bar, at 58 Church Street, will go before Hartlepool Borough Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee on Thursday 8 October after owner Joshua Murphy applied for a major variation to the premises licence.
Under the application, The Lodge wants permission for the sale of alcohol until 3am every day, recorded music and performances of dance until 3.15am, late-night refreshments until 3am, and for the premises itself to remain open until 3.30am, presenting what would be a significant extension from the bar's existing licence.
At present, Its claimed the Lodge is permitted to sell alcohol between 10am and 1.30am, while recorded music, dancing and a number of other entertainment activities are licensed until 2am. Late-night refreshments currently finish at 1.30am.
The premises itself is currently licensed to remain open until 2am, meaning the application would potentially add another hour-and-a-half to its opening time every night of the week.
Cleveland Police calls for application to be refused...
The proposals have run into opposition from none other than Cleveland Police, who have formally asked councillors to refuse the variation.
In its representation, Cleveland Police raises concerns under three of the statutory licensing objectives: those being the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and the prevention of public nuisance.
Police describe Church Street as an area experiencing what they say are significant levels of alcohol-related crime and disorder and point to a number of violent incidents in the wider locality during the previous 12 months, including a fatal assault, however, the police representation does not say that the fatal assault was connected to The Lodge Bar.
Cleveland Police argues that extending the licensed hours by another 90 minutes could increase the risks surrounding alcohol-related disorder, public safety and the dispersal of customers during the early hours. It has therefore asked the committee to reject the application.
Council raises noise concerns
Hartlepool Borough Council's Environmental Protection team has also lodged a formal objection, this time under the prevention of public nuisance licensing objective, with Environmental Health Manager Zoe Craig stating that the department is concerned that the longer hours could create additional nuisance, particularly from noise, with the representation referring to a previous noise complaint received in September 2022 in connection with the premises.
Application goes beyond council's 2am policy
A third representation has been submitted by Hartlepool Borough Council's own Licensing Authority, citing concerns over crime and disorder and public nuisance, with Hartlepool Borough Councils own licensing policy stating that applications in non-residential areas seeking alcohol sales or late-night refreshments beyond 2am will normally be refused where relevant representations have been received.
The hearing is scheduled for 2pm on Thursday 8th October at Hartlepool Civic Centre
