POLICE have raised concerns about a new hotel in Reading serving alcohol late at night.

Premier Inn has applied for a premises licence to sell booze at the hotel planned on Hosier Street.

The hotel will be built on the site of a former nightclub, Eva’s, next to Broad Street Mall, and will have 101 rooms.

READ MORE: Premier Inn plans approved by Reading Borough Council

Eva’s shut down in September 2017 after a dancefloor stabbing and mass brawl.

Declan Smyth, licensing officer for Thames Valley Police, is objecting to the hotel’s licensing application.

In a letter to Reading Borough Council, Mr Smyth said the hotel was advised to meet with the police and the council before submitting the application.

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This was “in order to discuss any concerns which we may have had”, and to find out if any the police and the council could give “advice on local issues”. 

But Mr Smyth said: “This pre-application meeting never took place”. 

Next week, councillors will hear from the police, the hotel, and council licensing officers, before deciding whether to grant the premises licence. This meeting of the licensing application sub-committee will take place on Thursday, March 5, at 9.30am. 

The hotel is applying for a licence to sell alcohol to the public until midnight. Revellers not staying in the hotel will then have to leave by 12.30am. Those staying in the hotel would be able to be served 24 hours a day.