COLCHESTER Council spent nearly £7,000 reviewing a controversial bar’s licence, only to shelve most of its planned actions, it has been revealed.

Silk Road, in St Botolph’s Street, was due to have its opening hours cut and its owner removed as the designated premises supervisor after a ruling by a council licensing committee.

The council had reviewed its licence at the request of Essex Police after the club was linked to disorder and violence in the surrounding area.

But before the restrictions could be imposed, owner Osman Rasih appealed and the case was due to be heard earlier this month.

Before it could be heard, lawyers for the council and for Silk Road came to an agreement and the main restrictions were dropped.

The council said this was because the bar had made changes and addressing their concerns, but the legal process left it with a £6,820 bill.

The application for review cost £252 and the review hearing totalled £2,170.

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