A bar in Norwich's clubland has been refused permission to become a nightclub.

And Norwich City Council's planning committee today also gave officers the go-ahead to start enforcement action against Lost in Prince of Wales Road - over an unauthorised smoking area.

Lost had asked the city council for permission to build a link between the current bar and a building at the back to make it into a nightclub.

It would have increased the maximum number of people using the nightspot from 600 to 1,000, according to city council officers.

But members of the planning committee unanimously agreed not to grant permission.

They also gave permission to officers to consider enforcement action over a smoking area at the back of the bar, which does not have planning permission.

The committee heard how the next door Norwich Islamic Centre feared an increase in noise and had collected a 300 signature petition.

Officers said the applicant had been asked to submit an acoustic report about how it would tackle the noise, but had not done so.

Nobody from Lost was at the planning meeting to speak in support of the application.