Bigg Market bar approved
POLICE FEARS OVER MORE CRIME SOOTHED
A NEW bar and restaurant is set to open in Newcastle’s Bigg Market – after fears over rising crime levels were allayed.
Northumbria Police had initially objected to plans to convert part of the TJ Hughes department store building, saying the high number of bars and nightclubs in that part of the city has already led to an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour.
However, officers have now dropped their objections after the applicant, AY Ventures, argued the site will primarily operate as a restaurant rather than a bar.
A Newcastle City Council licensing hearing to decide the venue’s future was due to be held this week, but was cancelled after police agreed a licence could be granted for the site.
Sintons solicitor Sarah Smith, representing the applicant, said no target date has been set for the restaurant’s opening, adding it is unlikely to be open this summer.
The council approved a planning application to turn the ground floor of the site into a bar and restaurant – called Swiss Cottage – last year.
TJ Hughes had also previously planned to transform the building into a gym.
In December, it was revealed the Bigg Market and Groat Market area, also home to bars such as Popworld and Filthy’s, is the most dangerous place on Tyneside for a night out.
Figures for the first half of 2017, between January and June, showed there were 105 crimes in six months in the area – more than four a week.
Lodging an objection to the TJ Hughes plans last November, Chief Inspector David Pickett wrote: “Northumbria Police believe that the premises will create an additional bar and the applicant has not demonstrated any exceptional circumstances in their application which would justify the application being granted or why the premises is different to other offerings currently in that location.
“The Bigg Market and Collingwood Street area hosts a number of popular late bars/nightclubs. The popularity of the licensed premises on the street has led to elevated levels of crime, disorder, anti-social behaviour and vulnerability due to alcohol use.”
He added: “The hours sought and lack of restaurant conditions within the operating schedule would indicate that the application proposes operating a vertical drinking establishment which can accommodate up to 550 people.
“This would therefore create the negative impact of adding a significant number of people in this location of the city centre late at night, which will add to the cumulative impact already significantly experienced in this area and undermine the licensing objective of prevention of crime and disorder.”
However, a Northumbria Police spokesman said this week: “We did have initial objections to the plans in question but they have been withdrawn after conversations with the applicant.”
A Newcastle City Council spokesman added: “The application for 18-20 Bigg Market, TJ Hughes, was scheduled as part of Licensing Sub Committee on March 13. Prior to this meeting the applicant reached an agreement with Northumbria Police, addressing their previous concerns.
“As an agreement was reached that everyone involved was happy with the meeting on the 13th was adjourned and a premise licence has been issued.”
Plans are afoot to revamp the Bigg Market. It emerged this week that the former underground toilets could be turned into a wine bar.