A nightclub has been ordered to shut earlier at weekends because of complaints about crime and anti social behaviour from police and neighbours.

Elements nightclub, on Spread Eagle Walk, in Epsom High Street, had its weekend trading hours reduced from 3am to 1.30am when an application by Surrey Police to review the licence came before the council's licensing sub-committee last week.

The decision came just a month after another town centre venue - strip club Stir Cocktail Bar in East Street - had its 3am licence renewed and the manager of Elements is considering appealing the decision to cut its hours.

The police applied for a review in January citing the need to prevent crime and disorder and public nuisance. They said there had been 101 incidents linked to the club last year including 43 cases of assault and an increasing number of complaints from people being disturbed by people leaving the club.

Elements manager Gabby McKeown said: "Regretfully, in the real world, any late night business will have incidents.

"I am sure that we at Elements have every measure in place to minimise the number of incidents plus the professionalism to deal with any incidents that do occur within the premises both quickly and efficiently.

"However we have no control over the handful of customers that refuse to leave the club at closing time quietly and peacefully."

Tony Axelrod, who lives in nearby Hudson House, Station Approach, said the right decision had been reached.

In his representations to the council in support of the application to reduce the club's hours, Mr Axelrod said he was regularly woken up between 3am and 4am at weekends by people leaving the club.

Speaking after the decision he said: "The demographics of Epsom town centre have changed considerably over the years and, now there are many residents living there, it is an issue.

"A dispersal time of one hour usually has to be added beyond the closing time.

"With a 1.30am closing time, people would be dispersed by about 2.30am instead of 4am.

"We are not trying, and do not want, to put nightclubs out of business.

"It is about finding a fair balance between allowing nightclubs to operate and allowing residents to have a reasonable standard of life."

Residents' Association Councillor, Neil Dallen, who also supported the change, said: "Town centre residents generally accept that there will be some noise and disturbance but there are limits."

He went on to say: "I frequently witness revellers urinating and vomiting both in the road, in alleys and behind buildings in the town centre vicinity.

"This is antisocial, a public health issue and a public nuisance and is unacceptable."

A spokesman for Epsom and Ewell Borough Council said it could not comment on the licence arrangements pending a possible appeal.

He said: "At present the licence has not been granted as Surrey Police and the premises licence holder for Elements may appeal against the licensing hearings sub-committee’s decision."

He added: "Any responsible authority can request a review application. In this case, a review application was made by Surrey Police.

"The decision of the licensing hearings sub-committee was based on the evidence supplied by Surrey Police and interested parties."

Commenting on the strip club decision, a council spokesman said: "Each application is taken on its own merits with a decision being made by each committee hearing.

"The decision of the licensing hearings sub-committee for the variation to the premises licence application for Stir Cocktail Bar was based upon evidence supplied from Surrey Police. No appeal was made and the licence was therefore issued."