Cocktail lounge plan ‘will boost centre of town’

A NEW cocktail bar will help “accelerate the gentrification of Whitley Bay centre,” according to its owners.

Home Bar Ltd has asked for a licence to serve drinks from a cocktail lounge on Victoria Terrace.

If the proposals are given the goahead it will be open between 4pm and 11pm Wednesday to Friday, 2pm to 11pm on Saturday and 2pm to 9pm on Sunday.

An application form lodged with North Tyneside Council said the premises would seat 26 drinkers “with some standing space.”

The applicant claims a “relaxed atmosphere” within the bar would encourage “seated consumption” with no one drinking outside.

The bar’s owners said they would work with the council and residents to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The application continued: “We believe working closely with the council and residents is how we can counter anti-social behaviour, by taking extra steps to ensure public nuisance and drunk and disorderly behaviour is kept to a minimum and helping to accelerate the gentrification of Whitley Bay centre.”

The application said the bar would focus on “mixology and crafting drinks at a higher price” and said as a smaller venue it would be managed better.

It added: “Our vision is to create a quiet and modern cocktail lounge set apart from most licensed premises in the area of cumulative impact and beyond.

“With an emphasis on mixology and crafting drinks at a higher price rather than faster service to intoxicate patrons.

“The lounge aspect of our business also instructs a relaxed environment with slower paced music.

“Our main aim of expansion will be to explore mixology and not to expand the current commercial space. We see this local expansion as a possible cause of drunk and disorderly behaviour - smaller venues can be managed better.”