RESIDENTS, business owners, a clergyman and an 11-year-old boy have lost their battle to keep a vodka bar out of York's caf quarter.

The city's magistrates yesterday granted Inventive Leisure PLC a licence to run a Revolution vodka bar in Back Swinegate, and it could be selling drinks by Christmas.

The company had to fight off stiff opposition from residents, owners and staff who live or work in the area known as The Quarter, between Stonegate, Low Petergate and Davygate.

They feared that the arrival of Revolution would attract hard drinkers, and raised a 100-name petition against it.

After the decision, the company's service director, John McDonald, said: "We are looking forward very much to working with the rest of the traders in the quarter. We take on board the concerns they have raised and we will be meeting with them to discuss our future and indeed their concerns."

During an all-day hearing, licensing justices heard from an 11-year-old who lives in Grape Lane and fears it will not be safe for him to walk down Back Swinegate in the evenings.

Like several witnesses, Bob Jackson spoke of The Quarter's strong community spirit and its reputation for trouble-free socialising.

Magdalena Chavez, owner of El Piano and resident of The Quarter, said she believed it was the only place in York that sometimes got on-street occasional licences because of the way staff managed drinkers.

The Rev Graham Hutchinson, minister of The Elim Church, in Back Swinegate, said the Revolution approach would spoil the community's character.

Jane Smart, a trader who lives in Grape Lane, said that late- night noise levels there had risen sharply in the last two years and her street frequently had vomit and urine in it.

Andrew Dunn, licensee of Oscar's Wine Bar, said that although a new bar could increase business for existing bars in the area, Revolution would attract the wrong type of person.

Inventive Leisure PLC is hoping to open before the New Year.

Updated: 11:01 Friday, August 08, 2003