POLICE and councillors want stricter controls on a South Lakeland night-spot which some residents claim has spoilt living in the town centre.

Roxy Arts and Media Centre, in Ulverston, opened in April after South Lakeland District Council granted its licence, but officers have received several complaints from residents and reports of disorder.

Insp Paul Latham wants SLDC to now add a further 16 conditions to the licence, including ensuring one door security worker is on duty per 75 people, banning customers from smoking at the front of the premises, no admissions after 11pm, and only allowing entry to people with ID.

Insp Latham told Ulverston Town Council on Monday: “We are not trying to shut the Roxy down.

"We are asking for the licence to be reviewed and what we consider to be more appropriate rules applied.“ At the meeting, Insp Latham said the application for a review was made because of what is seen as a lack of effective premises management, which was backed by the town council.

David Kitts, who lives near the nightclub and objected to the original licence, said: “I don’t think the police take reviews of licences lightly, and it is fairly rare, but they obviously believe that it is needed.

“We are in full support of the police and the conditions they propose.

“The Roxy has had a huge impact on us. Every single night we can be afraid of something happening. It is just an awful situation.”

The venue was the brainchild of Gary Robinson, the man behind Barrow nightspot Canteen Arts and Media Centre, and business partner Henry Webster. Mr Robinson said: “The Roxy takes anything the police say very seriously.

“We support most of these conditions, and we have already implemented many of them.

“But we don’t agree with them all. We don’t open until 11pm, so it would have a detrimental effect.

“What we have done in six months is remarkable.

"We’ve taken a carpet warehouse and a cinema in danger of closure, and we’ve protected the cinema, rehoused the Laurel and Hardy Museum, and brought DJs, musicians and comedians to the town.”