A PUB has had its controversial plans for longer opening hours sunk following opposition from hundreds of residents.

The Horse & Groom pub, Leyton Cross Road, Dartford, applied to open until midnight during the week and until 1am at the weekend.

But a hearing of Dartford Council's licensing sub-committee, which was packed with 15 residents, denied the pub the extra hours.

Dartford Council had received a 195-name petition and complaint letters from councillors and 31 households opposing the application.

The committee heard random drug swab checks carried out at the pub indicated the presence of illegal substances.

But police say this is not definite evidence of drugs as the results could be due to cross-contamination.

Last month News Shopper reported claims from residents of anti- social behaviour including bottles of urine thrown in their garden and drinkers vomiting on their lawns.

But pub licensee Lawrence White said he was the victim of a witch hunt and his neighbours were just following the crowd, complaining because their neighbours had.

The four-hour hearing considered evidence from residents and Mr White.

A number of conditions were imposed to ensure neighbours are not disturbed in the future.

CCTV will be installed and the pub has been ordered to enter an anti-drugs policy with Kent Police.

Residents are heralding the decision as a victory.

Leyton Cross Road resident Helen Hooper said: "We have come off better than we were before."

But Mr White claims the council has asked residents to keep an eye on the pub's activities following the hearing.

The 36-year-old, who took over the pub from his father three years ago, said: "It's like living in a goldfish bowl.

"I do feel somewhat aggrieved the way things have turned out."

North Kent drugs liaison offer, PC Godfrey Pain, said: "Following information the police received about illegal activity at this public house, police investigated these allegations and reported their findings to the hearing."

A Dartford Council spokesman said: "It is completely untrue we would ask residents to keep an eye on pubs for us and we made this clear with the landlord."