A NEW hotel set to open in less than a fortnight will be able to sell alcohol 24-hours a day after being given a licence, despite objections from several residents today.

The plans by Travelodge, currently being built in High Road, Whetstone, on the site of the former Black Bull Pub, had attracted criticism from local residents, including a petition of 17 names.

However, today a licensing committee at Barnet council heard how the conditions asked for were “default” across the whole company.

Residents living in nearby streets feared the licence would see more drinkers in the streets and allow people to keep drinking until the early hours of the morning in the residential area.

Solicitor Craig Baylis, representing Travelodge, said the chain did not expect the cafe/bar in the 90 bed facility to “ever break even” and would normally close before midnight.

He added: “This area is normally used for breakfast. Alcohol is not cheap at these particular premises.

“Residents' concerns are completely unfounded, Travelodge do not run bars, they run hotels. They have spent about £90,000 in the cafe/bar and they will be lucky to see any of that returned by the bar.”

He was also keen to point out hotel policy, meaning only guests could use the facilities between 11pm and 7am, but most guests would be business people not wanting to “stay up all night”.

Granting the licence the three members of the committee placed additional conditions on it including signs asking people to leave quietly, a 24-hour contact number be made available to neighbours and no advertising of the bar facilities outside the hotel itself.

The hotel is due to open on Friday, December 17.