A POPULAR bar in the city centre has been granted a licence for its new premises.

The House of Trembling Madness is planning to relocate from its Stonegate home to the former Robson and Cooper shop at 14 Lendal.

A licensing hearing due to take place yesterday was cancelled after an agreement was reached before the hearing. The owner agreed to conditions that CCTV be installed and that opening hours will be restricted to 8am to midnight, seven days a week.

House of Trembling Madness owner Ian Loftus said these were the conditions he wanted for the site and added that work is going well on decorating the new bar.

Mr Loftus said: “It’s just going to be the same business but bigger.

“I think it will be popular, there’s going to be a lot more food and drink, with tapas too - I think we should be more like the Europeans and have food available all day.

“A lot of people like the existing place and it’s not going to be repeated.

“The new pub will have a different feel, it’s a Georgian mansion so it will be more like a stately home than a medieval hall - it will have crystal chandeliers and leather couches.”

Licensing documents show the business will have a cafe, bar and shop on the ground floor, with a beer shop in the cellar.

On the first floor there will be a Georgian hunting room, a snug and a Georgian lounge.

The kitchen and staff room will be installed on the second floor of the building.

Police originally lodged an objection to the licence on the grounds of crime, disorder and public nuisance, but said they would lift it if the bar agreed to the conditions, which also say that on race days at least two doormen will be outside the premises from 4pm.

No date has been set yet for the opening of the new premises.