A bid by Blackbird Leys community centre to stay open until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights has failed, following complaints about noise.

Paul Isaacs, who manages the centre in Blackbird Leys Road on behalf of Oxford City Council, and Joe Obhiozele, who runs the bar, asked the council's licensing committee for an extension on Tuesday.

But the panel of three councillors refused to alter the normal closing time of 11.30pm.

One letter of objection came from Blackbird Leys city councillor Val Smith, who said she had received a number of complaints from residents about noise going on until the early hours.

The committee heard that the centre had reached the limit for special events which magistrates could allow by granting licence extensions.

John Penman, representing residents in nearby Windrush Tower, Knights Road, said: "Some of the people I am acting for are elderly, and in some cases ill, who just want to have peace and quiet for the rest of their days."

Licensing officer Trevor Dixon said an inspection in March confirmed that noise from the centre reached Windrush Tower.

Mr Isaacs said the centre lacked the money to install sound-proofing equipment.

An application from the Blackbird Leys pub, in Blackbird Leys Road, to stay open on Fridays and Saturdays until 11.45pm was also rejected.

Councillors agreed to extend opening hours until only 11.30pm on both nights, and to allow public entertainment on Sundays from 3pm to 10.30pm.

A device should be fitted to the doors so that the music stopped if they were opened, councillors said.