PLANS to open a Victorian-style gin palace in the centre of Worcester have been rebuffed by the city's licensing authorities.

They say the plan by Amber Taverns to convert a former supermarket in Angel Street into the pub would be likely to increase late-night disorder.

The decision was made after police and local authorities spoke out against the proposal, but the applicant said he is likely to appeal the decision.

The city council's licensing subcommittee listened to over three hours of evidence before making its decision.

Angel Street is within Worcester's 'cumulative impact zone' because of the large number of pubs, clubs and late-night food outlets in the vicinity.

Last month, the Worcester News reported how the area is plagued with drug users, with one user overdosing in broad daylight in front of horrified customers in McDonalds.

Gary Roberts, operations manager of Amber Taverns told the meeting that market research indicated that less than ten percent of the clientele of the proposed Hogarths Gin Palace would be males aged 18-25, the demographic most associated with late-night disorder.

He said: "About 40 per cent are female, and 44 per cent over 40. We will have a higher percentage of older customers."

He said the venue would use trained and experienced door staff both to keep out troublemakers and ensure the safety of its own customers.

But Sgt John Lawrence of West Mercia Police said that the force was objecting to the application, because of its place in the cumulative impact zone.

He said: "I think there is a clear significant risk of an increase in disorder and fights. We're in a period of of cuts to police funding and and I don't envisage that there is going to be an increase in police numbers over the next few years."

Dr Kathryn Cobain, for Worcestershire County Council's health and wellbeing service, pointed out that Worcester has the largest density of licensed premises per square kilometre in the West Midlands.

She said: "We recognise the need for a vibrant night-time economy, but we conclude that granting another license would only exacerbate the existing issues."

Paul Saunders, warden of Berkeley Court Almshouses, which backs on to the site, said that elderly and vulnerable residents were extremely worried about the proposal.

He said: "We have had incidents of glasses lobbed over the wall from Shaw Street into our gardens and a bottle of barbecue sauce thrown into my bedroom window, and if we phoned the police every time we saw anti-social behaviour in the streets outside, we'd be on the phone to them every night."

Subcommittee chairman Simon Cronin said the city's policy was to reject new licensing applications in the cumulative impact zone.

He said: "It is the opinion of the subcommittee that the application would add to the cumulative impact.

"The subcommittee considers that the grant of a license will have an adverse impact on the character of the surrounding area both individually and cumulatively."

The applicant has 21 days to appeal to the magistrate's court against the refusal, and Mr Roberts, commenting after the decision, said it is "most likely" that an appeal will be launched.