Police have cited concerns on an application for a Bexley nightclub to extend its opening hours following 10 crimes occurring at the venue this year.

The incidents included security being bitten and racially abused by a punter as well as a doorman ‘ignoring’ a drunk woman lying on the ground outside.

Arcadia Lounge on Broadway in Bexleyheath has applied to extend its closing time by one hour to 3.30am on weekends, with the venue potentially shutting half an hour later on Thursdays at 2am.

The Metropolitan Police filed an objection to the plans, claiming they had ‘serious concerns’ on the impact the extended hours would have on crime and disorder in the area.

The police representative included details of ten crimes which had occurred at the venue this year as well as five arrests.

One of these incidents included a drunk patron biting a member of security while being ejected from the venue, partially breaking their skin, and spitting in the face of another. The individual was also said to have made several racist remarks to a member of staff.

Another incident in April of this year included a woman being punched in the mouth by another woman outside the club, resulting in a swollen lip and bleeding.

Police Constable Kate Ellen said in her representation that she was hugely concerned by the lack of care a doorman had shown when police were called to the venue in March.

PC Ellen said: “Police attended and a heavily intoxicated female was found lying on the ground outside your premises.

"There was one doorman standing no more than two to three metres away who clearly could see the female needed some help but who decided to do nothing but ignore her.”

An environmental health officer from Bexley Council also made an objection to the application over the increased level of noise residents would experience from the later closing times.

The application follows a previous submission from the bar in May this year to extend its hours by the same amount and remove restrictions that had been placed on it due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bexley Council allowed the restrictions on the licence to be lifted but refused to permit the extended opening hours after police representatives claimed the area directly outside the nightclub was the ‘violence hotspot’ of the borough.

The applicant claimed in their latest proposal that the later opening hours would aid the dispersal of patrons and reduce congestion in the area after the closure of other nightclubs.

They said: “At 2am there can be up to 790 people leaving the different premises and going to takeaways and waiting for taxis.

"With the closing and dispersal being varied to 3am (with closing at 3:30am) this would reduce the amount of people on the street earlier, and will also allow people to get taxis easier by staggering the dispersal times.”

The new application for the nightclub to extend its opening hours will be discussed at a licensing meeting for Bexley Council on October 18.

Arcadia was approached but declined the opportunity to comment.