Esso will face a committee hearing in its bid to continue selling alcohol for 18 hours a day at its Romsey filling station.

The company recently applied to Test Valley Borough Council for approval for 24-hour alcohol sales at its Greatbridge Road Service Station, currently closed for rebuilding.

The 24-hour sales proposal has been dropped in the face of local opposition, but the council's licensing officer Michael White confirmed that an application had been made to renew its 6am to midnight sales licence. A new licence is necessary because the sales will take place in a new building.

People living close to an alcohol outlet are regarded as interested parties and they and the police are entitled to object.

But Mr White confirmed that there had already been enough objections from interested parties to necessitate a hearing and it will be held, probably late next month.

When the garage reopens later this summer it will have been upgraded to Esso's 'On the Run' status complete with a café for the sale of hot and cold food in addition to the sale of fuel and other goods.

An Esso spokesman answering criticism from local people of the sale of alcohol at a location used primarily by drivers, said: "Our view is that convenience stores at service stations are no different to other retail shops and outlets, such as supermarkets, which are licensed to sell alcohol and where a common way of travelling to the shop is by car.

"Many service stations in the UK sell alcohol for responsible consumption away from the premises and have done so for many years."Experience in other towns and cities, where these On the Run sites have been open for several years, has shown that the local community appreciates the services and products which they offer."

The alcohol sales at Greatbridge have come under particular fire from Romsey Abbey councillor Sally Lamb, who said there had been numerous complaints from people in the area who had been affected by late night nuisance and vandalism.

Cllr Lamb will be representing residents at the hearing and she commented: "I believe people are fed up with all the problems that are caused from selling alcohol by the 24 hr garage in Greatbridge Road. It has been very obvious to residents that since the garage has been closed the problems have been significantly reduced.

"It is because of public objection that we are now to have a public hearing on this application; this will allow all the objections and comments to be heard by the licensing panel. I am also allowed to speak at the hearing to represent residents concerns."

She also thanked everyone who had contacted her with their objections and added: "I will continue to fight against this application for all residents who live in the vicinity of the 24-hour garage in Greatbridge Road."