BARS in Colchester town centre are being investigated for allegedly breaking licensing and planning laws.

Colchester Council is examining whether a number of venues are sticking to the rules.

Steven Prest, of Crouch Street, Colchester, asked the council to look into the claims after a judge claimed the town centre was becoming a “no-go” area at night because of booze-fuelled violence.

One of the bars under scrutiny is Qube, in Crouch Street.

It has been granted a licence which allows it to serve alcohol in its capacity as a restaurant.

It has been claimed, despite having the “A3 licence”, the restaurant acts more like a bar or club, offering salsa dancing one evening a week and allegedly stopping its food service at 10pm, although it stays open later.

Town resident Mr Prest believes there are a number of other bars also trading in the same way. He wrote to Colchester Council’s planning department to complain, and asked it to look into the potential breaches.

He said: “I am very concerned at the amount of late-night bars trading without the correct planning permission, and therefore unlawfully. They are contributing towards late-night violence and crime.

“If they were to trade within their set ‘use’, they would probably reduce late-night crime to such a level the police and Colchester Council would not have to spend more taxpayers’ money on town centre crime reduction initiatives.

“The businesses should be trading as restaurants, but are being traded as late-night venues and drinking establishments, thus possibly contributing to increased violence and late-night crime.”

Colchester Council’s planning investigations officer, Jo Lloyd, confirmed it was looking into Mr Prest’s complaint regarding Cube.

It has yet to respond regarding the other premises. But Bev Jones, head of environmental and protective services, said: “Colchester Council takes seriously any breach of planning conditions. We are currently looking into how business is being conducted on these premises.”

A spokesman for Qube denied the lounge bar and restaurant was doing anything wrong.

He said: “We are operating in line with our permitted licensing use and licensed hours, as issued by Colchester Council.

“I think Colchester is a great town – and I’ve been living here for about ten years – and so do our clients who come here to have a good time. It is certainly not a ‘no-go’ area.”

* The other bars reported to Colchester Council are the Dirty Penguin, in St John’s Street; 19 bar and restaurant, in Head Street; and Bar Ten, in Crouch Street. The Gazette left messages at the Dirty Penguin, 19 and Bar Ten yesterday, but no one was available to comment.