GALASHIELS remains the only Borders town where clubbers can drink till 3am at weekends.

It follows the decision of councillors last week to reject a bid by Hawick nightspot Base to continue serving alcohol until that hour on Fridays and Saturdays.

Zing Enterprises Ltd, which runs the 250-capacity establishment in the town’s Baker Street, had been granted a 3am extension in May last year for a trial period, despite objections from the police and local residents who feared it would herald an increase in alcohol-fuelled violence and antisocial behaviour.

Scottish Borders Licensing Board agreed to the temporary permit on the understanding that incidents involving the police would be monitored.

And when councillors met on Friday to consider formalising the extension they heard that the number of such incidents within a 200-metre radius of the premises had shown a slight increase.

A report from the Safer Communities Unit revealed there had been 60 antisocial behaviour incidents in the eight months from June 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015, compared to 57 in the corresponding period of 2013/2014.

Of these, 46 were said to be alcohol-related. The number of assaults had remained static at eight.

According to local area commander Chief Inspector Andrew McLean the rise in incidents was “to be expected due to the increase in time allowed to consume alcohol”.

“The increase in hours has also spread the incidents through the time period resulting in them taking place up to 4am which affects residents in the vicinity who are disrupted over a longer period of time,” wrote CI McLean.

While acknowledging that Base manager Neil Gillies was a “conscientious licensee” and admitting that the premises were “well managed”, CI McLean observed: “However those attending the premises, on occasion, do not give the same consideration to Mr Gillies, his neighbours and the wider community.” Objecting to the hours extension was the Eildon Housing Association which owns the 44-flat Teviot Court sheltered housing development across the road from the nightclub.

The EHA said it had been supporting tenants who had experienced noise disturbance from Base customers but that tenants had become “disheartened” because they experienced difficulties in contacting the police via the 101 emergency number.

The association described what occurred at an external staircase leading to Teviot Court.

“Nightclub customers gather in this area leaving cigarette ends, plastic tumblers, food packaging and bodily fluids – urine and vomit.” The EHA highlighted an incident at the start of this month when a lower corridor window in the sheltered housing complex was smashed overnight.

“Our objection is on the grounds that an extension [till 3am] is likely to see an increase in the types of difficulties being experienced and that will be to the detriment of our vulnerable tenants.” Also objecting was Dr Eric Biajal, joint director of public health for the region, who claimed the central area of Hawick already had higher rates of antisocial behaviour incidents as well as the highest number of alcohol outlets in the Borders.

“Since 2000, over 70 research studies have demonstrated a significant association between the total number of licensed premises and opening hours in a locality with high levels of alcohol-related harm,” said Dr Baijal.

The most vehement objections, however, came from nine local residents claiming their amenity had deteriorated over the last nine months.

Mr and Mrs Algie, who live in nearby Teviot Crescent, wrote: “It was bad enough when it closed at 2am, but an extra hour of not being able to sleep is not good enough.” And Mr A. Bell, also of Teviot Crescent, cited the “noise from drunk people, taxis and cars after 3am” and even claimed: “Couples have sex in our close if we forget to lock the doors onto the street…it’s not good enough”.

An agent for Zing contended that the increase in antisocial incidents reported to the police – from 57 to 60 – was marginal and that they could not all be attributed to the nightclub.

But after a short recess, the board voted 3-2 to refuse the application.