Bar boss’ booze Ban claim
PRIVATE EYE HIRED TO INVESTIGATE RIVAL VENUE
THE firm behind a Newcastle citycentre bar hired a private investigator to prove that a rival was breaching restrictions on its booze sales.
Endless Stretch Limited has claimed that Blackett Street eaterie Banyan broke strict conditions imposed by city council chiefs.
The Grey Street-based company, which is the landlord of Harry’s Bar, says it hired an investigator to “conduct observations” at Banyan and discovered that it was “operating as a bar” rather than a restaurant.
The revelations come as Banyan, which took over the old Jamie’s Italian site, is trying to extend its licence to stay open until 2am.
In an objection letter lodged ahead of a council hearing next Tuesday, Endless Stretch director Louisa Uzan claims that their private eye found that Banyan was selling alcohol beyond its permitted hours.
She also says that customers were wrongly being allowed to drink on the first floor without food, people were standing and drinking in areas restricted for table meals, and that Banyan was not serving food as required until an hour before the end of its licensing hours.
Endless Stretch states that councillors can have “no confidence” in Banyan complying with the conditions imposed on it and has urged them to reject the venue’s new licence application.
The proposed changes would allow Banyan to sell alcohol until 1.30am on Friday and Saturday nights rather than the current midnight cut-off imposed when a council licensing sub-committee granted its licence last December.
Banyan also wants to relax its restaurant-style restrictions so that it only has to provide a “substantial food offering” until 10pm.
Banyan’s application states that the premises has “traded for some months since opening without issue” and that the changes it proposes are “appropriate and proportionate”. Martin Wolstencroft, chief executive of owner Arc Inspirations, added: “We continue to work professionally and constructively with the relevant local authorities to ensure our customers enjoy our venues and pride ourselves on creating memorable guest experiences in partnership with the local council and other stakeholders.”
But Ms Uzan wrote that the new requests would “undoubtedly” go against council policy and add to the negative impact caused by late-night drinking in Newcastle city centre.
She said: “The applicant offers no information as to the steps that it will take to address the cumulative impact other than the bold assertion that the premises have traded for some months since opening without issue. Endless Stretch disputes this.”
Banyan’s extended hours bid has also drawn the ire of one nearby resident, who claims that its customers “show no respect for the neighbourhood”.
They added: “Extending the licence of the premises will exacerbate this problem as well as moving it into the early morning hours.
“This will worsen the situation as the people leaving will have consumed more alcohol.”
Council licensing boss Jonathan Bryce has also lodged an objection, saying that the request represents a “significant extension” that would adversely impact on the council’s licensing objectives for the city centre.