Mono bar in Falmouth will now be able to remain open for an extra half-hour each evening after Cornwall Councillors supported a change of licence, despite misgivings from Falmouth Town Council.

Cornwall Council's licensing act sub committee gave its permission for the bar -which currently serves until 1am - to sell drinks until 1.30am every morning, with music played until 2am, and with a closing time of 4am on New Year's Eve.

The bar's owner, who was not at the committee meeting last Wednesday, had previously applied for a later licence but been turned down. Between the two applications he had implemented certain measures which were requested by local police, including proper soundproofing on the windows, proper door staff, and doors being closed at the right time.

Falmouth Town Council's planning committee had recommended that the bar be allowed to operate until 1.30pm - after deciding that it would not be able to fight such a decision - but that the music should also stop at one.

Councillors had also expressed concern over the late opening hours on New Year's Eve, and had asked that these be brought in line with other bars in town such as Mango's and Club International, although it was not made clear what these times were.

Cornwall Council's own committee noted these representations, but also noted that "no evidence had been provided to support their position as to why the hours should be reduced as suggested by them."

The committee also remarked: "Some of the hours suggested by Falmouth Town Council in their representation were, in fact, later than the hours the applicant had applied for, as set out in the application."

The bar sits inside Falmouth's cumulative impact zone, which is designed to set automatic limits on licensing times in the town, meaning no bars should be serving after 1am.

But after the committee received no comments from police or other bodies regarding the application, it was decided to grant permission for the variation of the licence as it was applied for.