A private members club in Cheltenham has won an appeal to extend its opening hours.

Bosses at The Good Times House fought against a council-imposed condition that meant it had to shut at 10pm.

This was despite the council’s licensing team granting permission for outside drinking at the venue until 2am.

Bosses wanted a planning restriction altered to allow doors at the Imperial Square venue to stay open until midnight during the week and 1am on a Friday and Saturday night.

They bought the  Grade II listed building just before the Covid pandemic and have invested around £2million into turning it into a private club. 

They want it to eventually become a hotel and haven for art collectors and foodies.

An application to serve alcohol and have films, live and recorded music and performances until 2am Monday to Saturday and midnight on Sundays was submitted to Cheltenham Borough Council.

In July the licence was granted by a committee of councillors , despite residents saying it would destroy their peace.

Meanwhile, a separate planning application 22/00334/COU to change the use of the building from a house to a hotel, bar and restaurant was granted in May 2022 subject to conditions.

At the time the council imposed a restriction which meant the venue could only open to the general public from 8am to 10pm Monday to Sunday.

The owners appealed against this in March 2023 and an investigation by the Planning Inspectorate concluded the timings were unfair.

While the inspector agreed activity should be restricted to “safeguard nearby residents” they said the deadline imposed by the council “presents a considerable restriction to those operating the business”.

They gave “considerable thought” to the more generous hours permitted through the premises licence but said it was not clear what evidence had considered by the committee.

“The processes of licensing and planning permission are separate and distinct regimes,” said the inspector’s report.

“Furthermore, licences are issued on a more temporary basis as they can be varied or revoked and are subject to ongoing review, whereas planning permission runs with the land and would be issued on a permanent basis.

“Accordingly, I am satisfied that it is reasonable for a planning condition to differ from the terms of a licence.”

The inspector extended the opening hours to 11pm and said this “would not harm the living

conditions of neighbouring residents”.

They also imposed a condition that customers should not use the courtyard to enter or exit the building and staff may only do so between 8am and 8pm.