Hampshire bar shuts down after 30 years (From Daily Echo)

Hampshire bar shuts down after 30 years

6:10pm Monday 6th February 2012 in News

FOR more than 30 years it has been part of the social scene in an upmarket Hampshire town.

Young people living in the Lymington area regarded Longs Cellar Bar as the perfect place to meet, drink and dance the night away.

But the controversial venue has now closed for good after losing its battle against a cut in opening hours.

Last year New Forest District Council ordered Longs to shut at 12.30am instead of 2am following complaints about drunkenness and anti-social behaviour.

The ruling was a major blow to the High Street business, which described itself as Lymington’s only late-night party venue.

Longs lost an appeal against the council’s decision and closed its doors in what was described as a temporary move.

The owners said they were planning to launch a new venture on the premises but a sign outside the entrance says: “Closed. RIP Longs. End of a legend!”

It follows the demise of several other pubs and clubs in the region, including the Talking Heads live music venue in Southampton, the Wheatsheaf pub in Titchfield and Break Bar in Eastleigh.

Drunkenness The countdown to closure began at a meeting of the council’s licensing sub-committee last May.

Longs complained that the bar was being blamed for problems caused by people who had been to other venues in the town.

However, a 100-page report to the sub-committee said customers were allowed to drink “excessive” amounts, which often resulted in drunken violence.