Troubled pub could be reinvented as eatery
Bar was shut after string of drugs busts and fights
A pub that was closed down after a series of brawls, drug use and rowdy punters could reopen as an Italian restaurant.
Rafferty’s had its licence pulled after police found staff were obstructing investigations by not preserving crime scenes and had failed to report problems.
King Yip, 36, has applied to change the use of the bar after lodging an application with Renfrewshire Council.
The chef/businessman runs the Glasgow- based Napoli Restaurant Ltd and is interested in transforming the site.
Piero Pieraccini, a member of Paisley Development Trust, ran Bar Point from the site in the 1970s.
He said: “Another business coming into the town is a great thing.
“We have had to deal with a run of big employers pulling out of the area, so any investment is welcome.
“The place has been empty for so long, its fantastic to think it could be brought into use – it can’t be allowed to fall into disrepair.
“There’s great work going on to entice businesses to Paisley and we’ve recently seen the opening of the Pendulum Bar and Grill.
“This will be a good addition to the town.”
Mr Yip’s proposals include renovating the kitchen and adding a pizza oven.
The dining area could feature a mix of private tables and benches extending towards the back of the former boozer.
It was closed almost three years ago after police bosses reported “serious management and operational failings”.
Cops were called to inspect the bar 95 times in the 12 months before it closed.
They say staff conduct had “fallen far short of the standards expected” after a slew of call-outs.
Police found evidence of repeated cocaine use on the premises, inadequate CCTV procedures and were forced to deal with a series of violent attacks.
Former licensing board chief Alex Murrin pulled the plug on the pub and ruled it was “quite clear” it was “persistently operating in a manner inconsistent with the aims of preventing crime and disorder”.
Owners claimed it was closed for refurbishment and would reopen months later, but it has lain empty since.
A decision on the planning application is due in September.