Welsh council ‘disappointed’ by sea bar with French name

A SEASIDE bar has been refused planning permission after it proposed a French name instead of a Welsh one.

Council planning bosses at the village of Abersoch, in Gwynedd, North Wales, have rejected plans for a new bar to replace a petrol station forecourt.

Abersoch Land and Sea, the powerboat dealer, submitted plans for a bar serving alcohol and food on the forecourt saying it would be named “Apres Soleil”, which means “after sun”.

The developers had also promised two new permanent and two temporary jobs. However, councillors in the village, in a county where two thirds of the population can speak Welsh, raised “disappointment” that no Welsh-language name was put forward for the business.

According to the planning officers’ report, objections had been raised by Llanengan community council, owing to concerns over the suitability of the entrance between Lon Garmon and Lon Pont Forgan.

There were also concerns about the sale of alcohol at a site promoting maritime activity.

As well as fears over more noise and litter, community councillors raised disappointment that no Welsh name was put forward for the business.

Planning officers backed the objections, which also included concerns about parking and pedestrian safety

‘[The] use of the site by pedestrians would result in increased conflict between pedestrians and vehicles’

on the seafront strip on the coastline.

The planning application, which was rejected by Gwynedd council planners, has since been withdrawn.

“The development is likely to increase the use of the site by pedestrians and would result in increased conflict between pedestrians and vehicles in areas where there is insufficient provision for the protection of pedestrian safety,” the officers’ report stated.

“In addition, the [parking] arrangement is inadequate for the [site].”