A BAR on the seafront has been told to keep customers inside and cut late-night music after complaints from neighbours.

Nick Panteli, owner of Rokka in Ramsgate's Harbour Parade, went before Thanet council's sub committee on Tuesday after environmental health officers called for a review of the bar's premises licence.

The committee heard from Philip Thorley, whose company Thorley Taverns runs the nearby Oak Hotel, that hotel guests had complained about noise from the bar.

Licensing officer Philip Bensted said that when his colleagues visited the bar in July they had seen "25 people standing and shouting outside".

Environmental health officer Zoe Fennell said the council had first received complaints in March 2009.

Michael Prigg, representing Mr Panteli, rejected the complaints, saying environmental health officers had only one verified complaint in the five years Rokka had been trading.

He said many of the complaints from Oak Hotel were directed against the noisy seafront in general, and not specifically Rokka, and could be prevented by fitting double glazing at the hotel.

Mr Panteli said he had applied to the council to have thicker, sound-proof glass fitted to the bar front, but had been turned down on conservation grounds.

After a lengthy debate the committee decided to impose restrictions recommended by the environmental health department. Chairman Brian Sullivan said the bar would have to adhere to six new rules, including stopping recorded music at 2am, keeping doors and windows shut, moving speakers away from the doors and allowing council officers to enforce the level of a sound limiter.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Panteli said most of the restrictions imposed by the council were already in place.

He said: "Our seafront bar is still able to trade until 3am, seven days a week, and there have been no restrictions placed on the use of the outdoor seating area as had previously been sought by the environmental health department.

"With the bank holiday weekend just around the corner, I'm sure Ramsgate seafront lovers and local businesses alike will be pleased to hear that the cafe culture of Ramsgate harbour lives on."