A pub in Somerset's smallest city can stay open later after councillors voted in favour of granting a new licence.

The White Hart Hotel lies on Sadler Street in the heart of Wells, a short distance from both the city's cathedral and the Bishop's Palace.

The Scarlett Pub Company Ltd., which runs the pub, applied to amend its existing licence to allow it to open until 1am daily, making it easier to compete with other local pubs.

Somerset Council has now granted this request, despite concerns from some local residents that it would lead to further public nuisance and a rise in antisocial behaviour.

The council's licensing sub-committee East (which makes decisions on major licensing applications in the former Mendip area) met in Shepton Mallet on June 19 to discuss the issue.

Under the council's constitution, licensing decisions have to be published within five working days of any hearing – with the sub-committee's decision only being made public on Friday (June 23).

Under the new licence, the pub will be able to sell alcohol for consumption on and off the premises daily between 10am and 1pm, as well as providing live and recorded music until this time.

Alexander Major, the landlord of the White Hart Hotel, argued that this was "in keeping" with other neighbouring premises, including the Courtyard Restaurant (which can supply alcohol until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays) and The Swan Hotel (until 1:30am daily except Sundays).

The council also granted a separate licence in May for the Sheep and Penguin pub on the corner of Portway and Tucker Street, which will be able to open until 1am daily (though the landlord intends to stop selling alcohol at midnight).

Numerous residents lodged objections to the licence, arguing that later opening hours would lead to increased noise and impact on locals' well-being.

Catherine Fleming, who lives on Sadler Street, said: "With the pub's current trading hours, we still live with tolerable noise levels, often continuing until midnight. With this extension, the likelihood would be that the noise intrusion would continue into the early hours of the morning.

"This is a beautiful conservation area and will not only impact residents of the surrounding area, but will likely draw in a 'different crowd' and cause possible altercations which are likely to spread out into the Cathedral Green."

Mrs Oakley-Fields, who lives on The Gardens off Chamberlain Street, added: "The pub garden can already be widely heard by the homes behind it – especially when patrons stay on later into the evening and have progressively less noise control."

Avon and Somerset Constabulary had previously agreed a set of conditions with the application and therefore did not lodge any formal objection.

Following a deliberation in a confidential session, the sub-committee voted to grant the new licence and thereby allow the later opening times.

Councillor Simon Carswell, who chaired the meeting, said: "If the public feel that noise [from the property] is excessive, their best option is to contact the applicants, and that such procedures are used to keep channels of communication open.

"They are also advised to report incidents to our environmental protection team, as well as keeping records of any concerns."