In the council chambers
Local resident had concerns over Apothicary bistro/bar
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A new bar will open in Scarborough after councillors rejected complaints from a local resident. Adam Johnson applied for a premises licence from Scarborough Council to allow him to open Apothicary at 63 Victoria Road.
Mr Johnson, who also owns the Garden Shed at nearby 69 Victoria Road, told a meeting of the council’s Licensing Subcommittee that he wanted to open the venue as what he describes as a “bistro/bar”.
He told the councillors: “This will be appealing to the high-end customers who want to come in and enjoy good company over a cocktail or a bottle of wine.
“We do not want to feed people full of alcohol until they can’t stand up any more.”
He said the bar would serve tapas to customers and would help to bring people into the area to improve the nighttime economy.
He added: “I really feel we’ve had our day with the type of St Nicholas Street and St Thomas Street bars that one would associate with disorder and people falling out in the street.
“I feel we can add to the economy rather than detract from it.”
The application was heard by the committee following an objection from local resident Malcolm Joyce.
Mr Joyce told the committee he was speaking on behalf of a local business owned by a friend and also several “local residents”. Mr Joyce said residents were concerned about late night drinking adding to issues that already existed due to drink and drugs.
He said he was also raising concerns on behalf of the Salvation Army.
He said: “The Salvation Army is concerned about the number of late night drinking establishments in the area. There is Aldi, Tesco, four independent shops selling alcohol, the Spa and the Alma.”
Mr Joyce said there were concerns that by allowing Mr Johnson to open Apothicary it would add to issues of antisocial behaviour
Cllr Norman Murphy (Ind) asked Mr Joyce why the residents he was speaking for had not spoken out themselves.
Mr Joyce said that the residents were “scared” as there had been a spate in recent months of a man “crazing” windows which had left people scared to speak out about issues in the area. He said a man had since been charged over the crazing spree.
Crazing, said Mr Joyce, is where windows are hit so the glass shatters but not does break.
He added that his own experiences in another part of the town had fuelled his decision to object.
He said he had lived next to a bar for nine months and “put up with all the hassle there”.
Cllr Murphy added: “I just can’t see where you are coming from, this is a little bistro, do you honestly think there is going to be riots there?”
Mr Joyce responded: “I don’t think there will be riots but I have wiped blood off the window of my friend’s shop.”
Mr Johnson had asked for the bar to be open until 00.30am on Monday to Sundays, with alcohol being sold until midnight. The committee granted him permission to open until midnight with sales of alcohol ending at 11.30pm.
Committee chairman Cllr Simon Green (Con) said the councillors had “full confidence in Mr Johnson” and found “no evidence the bar would add to existing issues in the area.”