Coffee bar owners brew upmarket bid
THE owners of a new coffee bar in Ashbourne told councillors it would be aimed at “wealthy” and “sophisticated” residents in a bid to gain permission to sell alcohol until 10pm.
Prestons in Derby Road, has been given the go-ahead to extend its alcohol sales from 8pm to 10pm, every day of the week, despite concerns from neighbouring residents.
A licensing hearing held last week by Derbyshire Dales District Council also gave the go-ahead for the coffee bar which occupies a former car showroom - to stay open longer, moving closing time from 8.30pm to 10.30pm every day.
The venue does not list any alcoholic drinks on its online menu, apart from an Irish Coffee.
However, co-partner Dominic Frklic said the venue is serving up-market beers and wines as well as food.
Moving to allay fears of late-night noise and “rowdy” customers, Mr Frklic and his agent, George Domleo, said the venue would serve a “more sophisticated”, “mature” and “wealthy” clientele and would not be serving “tequila shots and pints of beer by the gallon”.
Mr Domleo said the cheapest bottle of wine is £18 and stretches to £95 for a bottle of champagne and “they emphasise the type of customer they are trying to attract”.
An opposing resident, Barbara Jones, who lives in Old Derby Road behind the site, said that all customers are capable of being “rowdy” after consuming alcohol “whether they are from the council estate or from the half a million pound houses”.
Prestons is part of a familyrun business which alongside its familiar petrol station now specialises in high-end home interior products and has operated in the town for more than 90 years – much of which was spent focusing on car sales and servicing.
The coffee bar is a more recent addition to cater for customers visiting the firm’s main business - costing in the region of £190,000 - which also includes a florists and a fuel filling station.
Objecting resident
Mrs
Jones, also speaking on behalf of her husband, Roger, told the licensing hearing: “We are concerned that if the extension goes to 10pm, closing at 10.30pm, then a further application might then be made, so this is the start of a process of other things happening - possibly a music licence being applied for.
“We are concerned if it is extended until later it will become more of a drinking venue rather than going out for a quiet meal and meeting friends.
“In this area we do hear the noise. The impact for the people living closer is much greater.”
Alan Rogers, who also lives near the site, objected to the plans, saying: “Each of us has the right to the quiet enjoyment of our property, also, society places on us the responsibility neighbour.”
He also suspected the venue would submit further applications for later hours and music licences in the future, with this being step one.
Mr Rogers said a new outdoor seating area, which has recently been built, has caused disturbance.
He said: “The noise is sufficient to where you can hear it indoors, it is especially loud in the evenings after beer o’clock, when people tend to be more noisy. On occasion we hear this indoors and we have to have the television on to be a good louder, so we can hear ourselves in the house, with the windows closed. This is a serious intrusion into our quality of life. It is certainly quite unacceptable.” Mr Domleo told the hearing: “So far my client has invested £190,000 in the building renovations and is still planning on spending a bit more to finish the premises to their required high spec.
“We all know that continued investment is an important part of the local economy and is a significant consideration in a time of austerity. It is therefore in my clients’ best interest for this business to be a success, not cause any issues for the local residents but to be a valuable asset to the local community.”
He said the business employs 13 members of staff.
Mr Domleo said the extra hours “will give the premises some flexibility as to trading and will also allow the customers to continue their night for a little while longer in a safe and enjoyable environment”.
He added: “This is not the start of a process to apply for a later licence if this gets granted. At this point there is no plan for a later licence.”
He said if residents were to have issues with noise and disturbance a review of the licence could be carried out at any time, led by the council.
Mr Frklic told the hearing:
“We are responsible business owners and we know there are going to be questions from neighbours and what not, but at the end of the day, I know it is not going to be this type of place that they are assuming it will be.”
He said there are plans to build a hedge to mask some of the sound from the outdoor seating area by the end of June.
Mr Rogers contended that a hedge would just filter noise, to which Mr Frklic said a wall could be built instead, saying “it doesn’t matter for us, but aesthetically I thought a hedge would be nicer”.
Mr Frklic said that people were only sitting outside due to current Covid restrictions and that when the indoor area is available again “90 per cent of those people won’t be out there, so the noise is going to be even less”.
Mr Domleo said the coffee bar was aimed at families, friends and couples and is not “like an 18 to 25’s bar, it is more of an upmarket, older age, more sophisticated clientele”.
He said: “You can tell by the prices of the food and drink it is not a quick pint or that kind of clientele, it would attract a more mature experience, and more sophisticated.”
Mr Domleo said the issues put forward by residents were not evidenced and issues around the outdoor area were for planning, not licensing.
Mrs Jones said: “The longer people are at a venue, the more they drink.
“It does not matter what ‘quality people’ they are, it does not matter who you are or from what class, people can get rowdy, whether they are from the council estate or from the half a million pound houses, it does not make any difference.”
Brian Birch, also speaking on behalf of his wife, Susan, and another neighbour, opposing the plans, said: “We feel the two extra hours will increase the possibility of public nuisance, anti-social behaviour and public safety for ours and the dwellings nearby.
“We normally go to bed at 10pm and I fear the noise will not allow us to have our windows open.”
After a short adjournment, the district council’s licensing committee chose to approve the extension of hours.
The cheapest bottle of wine is £18 and stretches to £95 for a bottle of champagne
George Domleo