Residents have launched a petition to fight the closure of a Chafford Hundred bar after the council revoked its licence this month.

Thurrock’s licensing sub-committee revoked the Lounge Bar’s licence at a meeting on September 1.

At the meeting, councillors said the bar was found to be in breach of its licence conditions.

Visits to the Fleming Road bar had found illegal drugs in the toilets, and alcohol was being served after hours, councillors said.

The committee also said they were also responding to complaints from residents about the bar, whom they “needed to protect.”

Residents had sought to have the bar’s licence removed after a brawl outside the club in May this year, in which three were injured.

But angry residents took to social media to fight the decision, launching a petition on Change.org which attracted over 300 signatures in 24 hours, and now has 440 signatures.

Writing on the petition site, resident Alfie Millar, from Grays said: “I am gobsmacked and befuddled on how this decision to revoke the bar’s licence has been passed by the local council.

“The previous bar was run down poorly managed and tarnished by trouble and grief. Since the new leaseholders took over it has seen a full top of the range face-lift, multiple bouncers keeping the peace and a family friendly atmosphere throughout the bar.

“Losing this bar for all the residents of Chafford Hundred of all ages would be a travesty, I strongly suggest the council rethinks its stance on the situation and reinstates it ASAP.”

Rochelle Oglesby from Chafford Hundred wrote: “This shouldn’t be happening, the lounge bar hasn’t been opened for that long and the owners have transformed it into a lovely social bar this side of Chafford Hundred.”

But Chair of licensing sub-committee Councillor Ben Maney said the decision “had not been taken lightly.”

Mr Maney said: “We revoked the license for the premise because the Lounge Bar was consistently found to be in breach of its license conditions and there were a number of other legal infringements.

“The overriding objective is to protect the community and ensure that licensed premises in Thurrock meet the highest standards."

Mr Maney added: “Following a serious violent crime earlier in the year, coupled with a failure to implement recommendations and we as a panel felt we could not allow the bar to continue trading.

“We are also mindful of complaints made by residents who we are determined to protect from harm.”