THE Vault in Alsager has been given the go-ahead to serve alcohol seven days a week but Cheshire East Council has said it must stick to the original conditions of having children off the premises by 9pm.
The Crewe Road bar and restaurant, which had previously only been open on Thursdays to Sundays, had applied to extend the premises licence to run from 9am to 11pm on Monday to Thursday and from 9am to 12.30am on Friday and Saturday - and Sundays which are followed by a bank holiday.
On regular Sundays the venue would close at 9pm.
This would be in line with the recent planning permission secured.
Applicants Bradley and Julie Lancaster also wanted to remove the condition requiring under-18s to leave the premises by 9pm.
Mr Lancaster told the meeting of the council’s Licensing Act Sub-Committee last month: “All we’re asking for is to open a few extra days in the week and to extend the odd hours here and there mainly because of the way hospitality is.”
He said the premises was more of a restaurant than a late-night bar.
This was disputed at the meeting by objectors, who questioned how it could be a restaurant if the kitchens closed at 9pm but the bar remained open for hours afterwards.
They also said The Vault, which was formerly a Barclays Bank, is close to a residential area and they already experienced noise and other issues.
Nearby resident Dave Naylor said: “We didn’t buy a house next to a nightclub… and we might be forced to consider moving if the application is approved.”
Alsager resident Sue Helliwell, who raised concerns about the bid to remove the condition relating to under-18s, said at the meeting: “The kitchen closes at 9pm, why would you want a child under the age of 18 to be in there until half past 12 at night while you are getting intoxicated?
“This is harmful to children, there could be anti-social behaviour.”
Originally the applicants had sought permission for the licence to run until midnight on Monday to Thursday and until 1am Friday and Saturday.
But they had amended the application during the licensing meeting to the earlier hours, to be in the line with the recent planning permission.
Cheshire East Council has this month published its decision and granted permission for new hours.
These include the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises be permitted Monday to Thursday between noon and 10.45pm and on Friday and Saturday between 9.30am and 12.15am.
On Sunday it is from 9.30am and 8.45pm.
With regard to the condition relating to young people, the decision notice states the existing condition requiring all under-18s to be off the premises by 9pm remains in place.
It states: “This is in the interest of the protection of children from harm.”
The applicants have a right of appeal to the magistrates’ court if they don’t agree with the decision.
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