The CO2, which is Canterbury's first gay bar, has been granted later opening hours even though nearly 90 residents objected to the changes to the licence.

Complaints include alleged incidents of people drinking and urinating in the street, foul and sexually explicit language and loud music.

A pensioner who made a video of the bar's customers was accused of committing a 'hate crime' and was visited by police officers. The man said he was making the video in order to prove that there were problems with the bar's clientele.

A spokesman for Pride in Canterbury said:
"Pride in Canterbury hopes that if there is a real problem with the residents about CO2 - and it seems they had a lot more problems when it was a straight bar - and if Canterbury City Council really wants a thriving LGBT community  to attract LGBTs to the City, the owners of CO2, together with other supportive organisations need to find a satisfactory resolution for all sides.
 
"The LGBT community in Canterbury desperately needs a focus. The Police Community Liaison Team have already used CO2 for their meetings.  We must not lose our gay bar after only a few months."

For more information about Pride in Canterbury view:
www.prideincanterbury.org.uk