THE eagerly-anticipated Youth Cafe for Lydney has hit a last minute planning hurdle with objections from some local traders to its change of use from retail premises.

The cafe project has been hoping for a spring start after securing premises in Newerne Street in the middle of town, said chairman of the organising committee Derek Biddle.

"When we heard of the problem we were hoping for a hearing before Christmas but now it looks like the decision will be early in the New Year," he said.

"We were not expecting objections but I hope it will not be a big setback."

Mr Biddle said that although the cafe would be open during business hours he anticipated its main use would be after school. Eventually it would open from 10am to 9.30pm.

Its facilities would probably include things like a pool table and computer games but this would be entirely up to the users and the newly appointed manager Amanda Heseltine to decide.

"One of the things that surprised me was a call for a homework club, put forward by one of the girls," said Mr Biddle.

"Amanda has been to the successful Candi Club in Cinderford to study how it is managed and it looks as though they will be helping with the launch."

Rather than creating problems, youth cafes in other areas have proved beneficial to the communities concerned in many ways.

The cafe in Lydney has been on the 'wish list' of local youth for some years and has been made possible with help from the Lydney Partnership and cash from the government, the district council and £20,000 from a charity, the Tudor Trust.