A bar’s opening hours have been restricted after a series of violent incidents, including a man having his neck slashed with a broken bottle.

Yesterday (May 3), Epping Forest District Council agreed that alcohol should not be sold past midnight at Nu Bar in Lougton High Road, and the venue should close at 12.30am at the latest.

The venue previously stayed open until 2am on Friday and Saturday, before its licence was suspended on April 12 in the wake of the latest fight.

On April 10, a man in his 20s was seriously injured after his neck was cut in a “disturbance” involving around 40 people.

Essex Police called for the licence restriction, and reportedly referred to eight serious incidents at the district council meeting.

As well as the problem of late-night violence, many people are concerned about the level of anti-social behaviour around Nu Bar.

Ahead of the council meeting, one person said: “The people frequenting these late night venues are becoming a public nuisance and disturbing local residents.

“The late night bars in Loughton are attracting very unsavoury characters.

“I have to walk up from the station sometimes later in the evening, and it is often quite intimidating with so much noise and shouting at the end of my road.”

They also reported people urinating on their car and being sick in driveways.

Another person said: “There are often scantily clad girls screaming in merriment, and car doors slamming with headlights full on at all times in the early hours, disturbing ourselves and our grandchildren.

“The street is often littered with empty bottles and quite often glasses as well.

“Some bottles and glasses are smashed in front gardens and kerbs, causing safety hazards to local residents and their pets.

“We feel it’s unsafe to walk past the bar when guests exit.”

The Loughton Residents Association (LRA) has called for midnight closing for all places selling alcohol in residential areas.

David Linnell of the LRA spoke at yesterday’s meeting, and told the Guardian today: “We are undoubtedly pleased with the result.

“Our line was the centre of Loughton is the wrong place for any late night menus, because it is a residential area.”

He added: “These sorts of places do attract problems, so we would rather hope that in due course the same thing happens to LuXe.”

Nu Bar owners Greene King can now either accept the council’s decision or appeal within 21 days.

Chris Criscione, 20, Conservative candidate for Loughton Forest Ward, said: “The situation at the Nu Bar has gone on for long enough and I, as well as the residents that I have met, are over the moon with the results of the hearing yesterday.

"There is still a long way to go, and I hope that Greene King will be able to accept these perfectly reasonable conditions.

"I want to thank the police for putting the safety of residents first, it was a long day for all involved but the right result has prevailed.”

Greene King have been contacted for comment.