Residents' joy as late-licence plan for city centre bar rejected by WCC committee.
Residents in Water Lane and St John’s Street are celebrating after a local bar was refused permission for wide-ranging extensions to its’ licence.
Blonde Beer Café in Bridge Street had applied for an extension under new Government licensing laws that would grant a 1am closure time on Thursdays and a 2am deadline on Friday’s and Saturday’s. They have also applied to remove conditions relating to use of the garden of the premises, which currently must close at 9pm. However, residents supported by Prospective Winchester MP Steve Brine said enough is enough and spoke out against the plan.
A meeting today (Monday 22 October 2007) of Winchester City Council’s Licensing Committee threw out the application in full.
Steve Brine says; “This is a victory for local residents and for common sense. People living in Water Lane and surrounding streets have every right to live (and sleep) in peace; I hope this decision will help them do just that. I have never doubted the desire of Blondes to operate as a responsible business but the fact of the matter is their existing licence arrangements are quite enough for what is a largely residential area.”
Prospective Winchester MP, Steve Brine is pictured above with residents of Water Lane.