A popular late-night pool club and bar in Peckham could be extending its drinking hours – but police have other ideas. 

Canavan’s Peckham Pool Club is currently open until 4am every night, but stops selling alcohol at 2am.  

Owner Kieran Canavan has applied to add an extra hour and 45 minutes of drinking time until 3.45am. 

The retro venue is within the Peckham cumulative impact area, where an applicant has to demonstrate the extension will not cause problems, such as anti-social behaviour. 

Mr Canavan has said the move would “not add to the cumulative effect” because customers would “drink at a more responsible rate, rather than rapidly consuming alcohol close to the current 2am […] cut off time”.  

“This is likely to lead to less anti-social behaviour in the locale and more orderly behaviour and dispersal of customers. 

“Any measure that is likely to lead to the more responsible consumption of alcohol, we think, is of benefit to our customers and the wider community, and also of benefit to the health of our customers,” he said.  

But police have disputed this and said the extension – which would mean people could drink until 15 minutes before closing – is “highly likely to have a negative impact”.  

Police licensing officer PC Ian Clements wrote: “This is a significant increase – despite the applicant’s expectations this will not impact on the licensing objectives, I must disagree. 

“I also disagree with the applicant’s assumption that his patrons will be less likely to load up on alcoholic drinks near the current cut off time at 2am. 

“Of concern is that the applicant is aware that his customers partake in this practice and wishes to extend the hours permitted for the supply of alcohol, thus extending the possibility of excessive consumption. 

“The hours as detailed in the application allow for the supply of alcohol up until 15 minutes before the premises should be closed to the public.  

“This in itself is a significant oversight by the applicant and only goes to increase the possibility of patrons loading up on alcohol, they only have 15 minutes from point of sale of alcohol to consuming it and leaving the premises.” 

Jayne Tear, principal licensing officer with Southwark Council, has also objected to the plans.  

She said: “The application has reduced its two hour drinking up time to only 15 minutes drinking up time within this application, this can lead to conflict between staff and the customer having purchased an alcoholic drink for consumption on the premises minutes before closing time and being asked to either finish the drink or hand it back and to leave the premises.  

“Additionally this will encourage patrons to rush consumption of alcoholic drinks at the same time of closing which can lead to antisocial behaviour problems when patron have left the premises It is my recommendation that the application be refused.” 

A licensing sub-committee will decide whether to approve or reject the application on Thursday morning (January 23).