Angry neighbours claim a fish and chip shop has been allowed to turn into a nightclub - leading to complaints of strippers, late night boozing and violence.

Aces Bar in Verdant Lane, Hither Green, faces a licensing review after environmental health officers visiting last October claimed they were verbally abused by customers and left as a fight broke out in the venue, spilling over into the street.

Neighbours - some of whom have left their homes for days at a time to escape the problems - have complained of loud noise making objects in their homes vibrate, shouting, swearing, late night lock-ins, plus discarded glasses and empty nitrous oxide gas cannisters littering the street outside.

However, the bar - located on a small parade of shops surrounded by homes - denies any wrongdoing.

Police have drawn attention to previous incidents at the bar - which some people expected to be a chip shop before it got an alcohol licence - including a stabbing last March, with PC Andrew Reading saying the venue had "driven people from their homes and reduced them to tears".

In a letter submitted to next Monday's licensing review, one resident wrote: "During our son's bedroom routine we have to read him stories with a soundtrack of swearing and drunken adult conversations and banter."

They said a member of the family had nearly quit their job and needed counselling due to the "torment", adding: "We are now forced to play a CD of nursery rhymes throughout the night in order to drown out the abusive language and noise emanating from the bar so as not to alarm out four-year-old son."

Neighbourhood and community safety manager Lisa Hooper wrote: "Residents have described how the bar has operated as a nightclub and has organised event and theme nights with live music, dancers, strippers and cheap drinks."

She said: "88 Verdant Lane is not a suitable premises for a nightclub and the owners are in breach of their planning permission in operating as such. Incidents of loud noise and nuisance are still continuing and residents are clearly still suffering anxiety, stress, harassment and fear around the current use of this property."

However, the bar has also received messages of support from scores of punters, including 58-year-old Susan Vander, who wrote it was one of "very few places that a woman of my age can go to where they feel very safe and made so welcome."

Jaspreet Nazran from the bar said he did not want to comment until the outcome of the licensing hearing.