A GREENOCK hotel-restaurant which committed 'shocking' breaches of licensing conditions has been given its drinks licence back.

Inverclyde Licensing Board had suspended the Port and Harbour's licence for four weeks after hearing about a catalogue of problems at the Custom House Place establishment.

These included teenagers drinking in the bar and an ambulance being called for a boy who was so drunk he had to be rushed to hospital.

Board chairman, Councillor Ronnie Ahlfeld, described the breaches as the worst he had ever seen.

The Port and Harbour owner, Zulfiqar Ahmed, today insisted that there would be no further problems.

But the hotel boss also hit out, saying that the licence suspension had cost him tens of thousands of pounds.

Mr Ahmed said: "I've lost �20,000 over the last four weeks because I had no customers but still had to pay bills.

"Staff have been re-trained and we now want to get our customers back.

"It's not easy surviving in the credit crunch, but I'm happy that things will be okay now at the Port and Harbour."

Mr Ahmed had been warned that if he failed to meet conditions laid down by the board then the drinks ban would have been extended.

But officials say they are now satisfied that the improvements have been made.

Licensing chief Mr Ahlfeld said: "Additional training has been undertaken by all staff to a greater level than was stipulated by the board.The police and the licensed standards officer have approved the actions taken." But the councillor stressed: "The premises will be closely monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure no further breaches of licensing conditions."