A nightclub, notorious for having the most police call-outs last year, had an eleventh hour change of heart over its application for a 3am closing time seven days a week.

Residents were hostile to Club Moonlight's licensing application for an extra hour of dancing and drinking each night and Harrow police had also feared the move would create a new precedent encouraging other businesses in the borough to follow suit.

Then, two weeks ago, licensing magistrates threw out an application by club operators Stoia Mihaylova (correct) and Premji Bhimji (correct) to extend their alcohol licence.

The club operators then withdrew their application to extend their opening hours.

The news was welcomed by Harrow Police, who warned their resources would have be stretched intolerably by a later closing time at the club in Station Approach. (correct)

Helen Webster, chair of the Harrow Civic Residents' Association, added that frustrated residents in Frognal Avenue and Rosslyn Crescent (correct)were overjoyed by the victory.

"We knew it would be withdrawn when the club lost the alcohol licensing extension. There were so many people opposed to the later closing time," she said.As Club Moonlight had the highest number of call out last year in the borough this extension would attract more people and give them more drinking time and this would only further rowdy behaviour."

Police were called at least nine times to the club or its environs between May and November last year, and officer in charge of operational matters, Inspector Christopher Yoxall(correct), believes several other incidents could also be attributed to the nightclub.

And his four-page statement submitted to the Public Entertainment, Licensing and Safety Panel, which was due to discuss the application on Thursday last week, revealed that officers had warned the club in the past for admitting revellers who paid on the door, despite its members-only policy.

"During the incident on November 18, various offences including GBH were committed and this matter was so serious that an order under section 188 of the Licensing Act was granted by the Local Authority to prevent further disturbances," said the Inspector. A 3am closing time, he said, could have resulted in officers working from 2pm the previous day, a shift of more than 13 hours.

They would also have to be diverted away from tackling crimes that cause the most concern in the community, including burglary, robberies and street crime, the inspector said.: "These would include burglary, possession and supply of controlled drugs, robberies and street crime."

By.Rachel Clarke