A pub will be allowed to open later at weekends after councillors ruled it would not worsen social problems in the surrounding area.

The Occasional Half, on Green Lanes, has had its opening times extended until 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays and will be allowed to sell alcohol until 1am.

Some neighbours had claimed allowing the pub to open later would worsen crime and anti-social behaviour in the area – including drug-dealing, prostitution, and people vomiting and defecating in an alleyway behind the pub.

But the council’s licensing committee ruled that these problems were not necessarily related to the Occasional Half, which was described as a “good neighbour”.

Speaking on behalf of the three residents who objected, Bowes ward councillor Cllr Achilleas Georgiou said: “It is particularly those residents in Kelvin Avenue who have been badly affected in the past by a lot of anti-social behaviour that runs along Green Lanes.

“If you spoke to some of these people who have written in, they would say in the past the Occasional Half has been a good neighbour.

“Unfortunately, they believe opening the pub for those extended hours on Friday and Saturday would only add to the misery of residents.”

But a lawyer speaking on behalf of the applicants told the committee that there had been no complaints when the pub had been allowed to open late temporarily in the past.

He said there were “robust” licensing conditions relating to noise, and doors and windows would be kept closed to avoid disturbing neighbours.

The lawyer pointed out that the manager, Susan Smyth, ran a “tight ship” and had always responded well to neighbours’ concerns, adding that the pub was also a victim of some of the anti-social behaviour that took place nearby.

He told the committee that the owners had installed security lights and were looking into whether it was possible to put in CCTV cameras to deter anti-social behaviour.

After the councillors had discussed the application in private, committee chair Cllr George Savva said: “The committee are satisfied that the applicant has taken appropriate steps to ensure the application will not have a negative impact on the area.

“The committee was not persuaded by representations against the application, and there was insufficient evidence that the nuisance could be attributed to these premises.

“The committee grants the application in full.”