A Watford internet café owner has failed in his bid to open a private members' gambling club in the back room of the building.

On Friday, members of Watford Borough Council's licensing sub-committee, decided not to grant the 'club gaming permit' for which the Internet Lounge, on St Albans Road, had applied.

However, manager of The Internet Lounge Ltd, Bill White, has said he will not give up and plans to submit a second application.

“I'm frustrated and confused because the way I thought I'd done everything I was supposed to. I submitted as much evidence as they wanted, answered their questions and spoke to the Gambling Commission.”

Mr White, who runs the internet café with his three brothers, added: “This is something for the community. But I'm not disappointed because I know now what I have to do next time.”

A club gaming permit allows a properly constituted private members' club to offer equal chance gaming such as poker and bingo and up to four gaming machines.

The town centre building currently comprises three rooms – a reception lobby, a public access internet lounge and a private members' area.

Chief executive of the Gambling Commission Jenny Williams, who was not at Friday's meeting at the town hall, objected to the application, which was submitted in early November.

She said: “The Commission has concerns as to whether the club is a bone fide members'' club established for purposes other than the provision of facilities for gaming.”

Councillors returned to discuss their verdict after which committee chairman Jan Brown objected to the application on the grounds that The Internet Lounge had not sufficiently established itself as a private members' club.

Watford Borough Council licensing manager, Jeffrey Leib and Cllr Brown both also told Mr White that there was not enough evidence to suggest that members 'had a say' in where the profits of the club went. Consequently, councillors said, it could not be formally considered a private members' club.