CLUB and bar owners have urged caution as Kingston Council looks to shift the town's night-time economy away from "large, alcohol-led premises".

Next week councillors will vote on a new policy that seeks to “discourage drunkenness and the resulting anti-social behaviour” in Kingston.

The report, available on the authority’s website, states: “A key feature of [the council’s] approach is to use its influence to encourage a change in the composition of the borough’s night-time economy so it is more diverse and less dominated by large alcohol-led premises.”

The report also notes that a “high proportion of violence against the person offences are closely linked to the night-time economy”, with peaks in the early hours of the morning.

Read more: 'Violence, sexual assault and theft' prompted Kingston police's call for Pryzm licence review

However the policy states that in Kingston there were 4.27 alcohol-related violent crimes per 1,000 people in 2012-13 – lower than the 5.67 crimes per 1,000 people across London as a whole.

Cllr Mike Head, chairman of the licensing committee, said: “The policy as it stands is not dramatically different to before.

“There may be some amendments but it is a solid policy I think. I have my personal views about clubs but I am not prepared to discuss that.

“Licences in Kingston are granted on merit and are not given out lightly.”

Kingston has two of the biggest nightclubs in south west London in Hippodrome and Pryzm.

Pryzm's licence is under review after police claimed bosses had failed to curb disorder including sexual assault and theft.

Committee member Cllr Phil Doyle has previously cited clubbers posting half-eaten kebabs through letter boxes, defecating in gardens and fornicating in the streets as reasons for a crackdown on licensing rules.

When the new policy was being drafted last year, he said: “I don’t think the antisocial behaviour, most of which is caused by clubbers who have been drinking, is being challenged enough.

“Some residents are scared to walk through the town centre at night.”

But Paul Kinsey, who owns Kingston’s third largest club the Viper Rooms, said: "All responsible operators want to see local authorities adopt a sensible approach to developing an integrated alcohol plan.

"However some councils seem to believe that simply saying that they want wine bars not nightclubs is a one-step solution to creating a social utopia where responsible drinking and a general feeling of late night bon ami prevails.

"Unfortunately the reality is somewhat different with just some of the factors that I have considered below.

"These do not make any comment on the effects on the local economy of potential loss of jobs such a change would result in.”

When the policy was under consultation a spokeswoman for the Deltic Group, which owns Hippodrome and Pryzm, said: “We are concerned that the important role the club and bar sector plays in the local economy is being overlooked.”

The vote will be held at Guildhall at 7.30pm on June 8.