Rooftop restaurant ‘won’t be nightclub’

CHELTENHAM’S rooftop restaurant The Nook on Five will be allowed to stay open into the early hours as owners allay fears it will become a nightclub.

Owners of the restaurant at the Quadrangle in Imperial Square have been granted permission by Cheltenham Borough Council to extend their opening hours from midnight until 2.30am each day.

They will also be allowed to provide late-night refreshment and alcohol until 2am and music from 10am until 2am. Borough councillors considered and approved an application to vary the licence at a meeting this week.

Eleven nearby residents had objected to the proposals and raised concerns over noise and disorderly behaviour.

One neighbour from Imperial Square said there is already significant noise and disruption caused by the Town Hall and 131 having an outside restaurant.

“How is the noise going to be contained on a rooftop that will echo all over the square? How are you going to stop the number of drunks in the park and spilling out onto the surrounding streets causing disorder and petty crime?”

A person from The Board Walk said they live across the road with a young child who may be disrupted with the music nightly.

“We believe the sound will travel more as it’s a rooftop, not a basement. And this will also affect the value of our property should we come to sell; everyone will know there is a nightclub nearby.

“Parking will be an issue late in the evening and the general disbursement of customers at the end of the night and the noise that goes along with people leaving/getting taxis etc.”

However, The Nook’s legal representative told the licensing sub-committee that the establishment is a high-end, upmarket restaurant that has been operating for around a year.

He says it has been very successful and they have no plans to turn it into a nightclub.

“It’s not a cheap place for customers to attend. The food and drink are priced keenly. That should be an indication, if one was needed, as to how the premises has been running and will continue to run moving forward.”

They identified a need in the area and the premises would like to open a little bit longer.

“It’s not becoming a nightclub. The Ministry of Sound is not moving to Cheltenham,” he added. “We simply want to offer what we are offering now for an additional two hours. What we are offering now is a fine dining and fine drinking establishment with the occasional entertainment for those in attendance.”

The licensing sub-committee voted unanimously to approve the variation.