PLANNERS have said approval should be given for two bars to operate within yards of each other in the centre of York.

City of York Council has been recommended to change the use of Bora Bora, in Swinegate Court East, from a café to a “drinking establishment” which would be able to open until 3am every day.

Seven objections have been raised over the application, mainly about potential noise and antisocial behaviour, but council planning officers have said these problems cannot be attributed to one business, although they have suggested a fresh request should be made to keep the outside drinking area open after midnight from September 2014 onwards.

The same meeting will also discuss a retrospective application for Lucia Bar and Grill, also in Swinegate Court East, after permission was granted last year for the Italian restaurant housed on the ground floor to expand on to the first floor.

The upper floor has since been run as Bar Esperanza instead, but full planning approval is now needed for this to continue.

The application has been recommended for the go-ahead despite eight objections, with officers saying the bar – also opening until 3am each day – would fit in with the surrounding area as long as it was “appropriately controlled.