News: Objectors don't want Seasons to change
Local councillors are accusing the operators of a new restaurant in a Rotherham village of going back on their word following an application to vary the premises licence.
Rothbiz reported in 2019 on proposals for a change of use at 151 and 153 Bawtry Road and Unit 6 on The Courtyard to create a combined unit as a restaurant.
Earlier plans for a craft ale bar were refused by the Council and Seasons Restaurant opened in Wickersley in early 2022. A decked area was later added to the premises.
The area of Wickersley village has been designated as a Cumulative Impact Zone and applicants "must be able to demonstrate to the Council and other responsible authorities that granting a new or varied licence will not add to the cumulative impact already being experienced within the area."
Operators, who are also the owners of The Courtyard, want to vary the premises licence that currently restricts Seasons to operate solely as a restaurant, save for alcohol being served to those waiting to be seated or ancillary to a restaurant meal.
Applicants want the venue to be used similar to a drinking establishment during private prebooked functions (the current condition states that customers shall remain seated when consuming alcohol), and, at all times, for up to 20 customers to be permitted to stand while consuming beverages in a small area at the entrance.
The current licence requires a minimum of three SIA door supervisors to manage customers from Seasons and adjacent premises from 10pm on Friday and Saturday evenings when the Courtyard is open and trading. Applicants also want this condition removed.
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The licencing officer at Rotherham Council said that the changes would make the premises "more akin to a pub than a restaurant and would adversely affect residents within the locality due to noise and the likelihood for increased disorder following increased demand for drinks only within the premises."
The representation from the officer adds: "With the current licence allowing until midnight and the applicant wishing to retain midnight on a Friday and Saturday there would be the likelihood of the premises becoming a bar after 22.00hrs with no door supervision and significant adverse impact on residents in the locality.
"The applicant has also requested the terminal hour remain midnight Monday – Thursday should the premises be carrying out a pre-booked function. This would result in the premsies having vertical drinking only until midnight with no door supervision or restriction. The ability to operate in this way would affect the crime and disorder and public nuisance licensing objectives."
An objection on behalf of the three local councillors, Cllr. Ellis, Cllr. Read and Cllr. Hoddinott adds; "At the original hearing [in 2020] the committee were on numerous occasions told and reassured that the premises would only be solely used as a restaurant and that they aspired to becoming a Michelin star restaurant. Due to this the committee attached various conditions to ensure this happened and to ameliorate the problems that the local community are facing. It was only due to the conditions being attached that the license was granted.
"The proposed removal of some of the conditions ... would enable an extensive area to become a bar area, only being used for the serving of alcohol with no necessity for any food to be served or consumed. This is at complete odds to all that was said to the committee and the community."
Seasons website
Images: Seasons
Rothbiz reported in 2019 on proposals for a change of use at 151 and 153 Bawtry Road and Unit 6 on The Courtyard to create a combined unit as a restaurant.
Earlier plans for a craft ale bar were refused by the Council and Seasons Restaurant opened in Wickersley in early 2022. A decked area was later added to the premises.
The area of Wickersley village has been designated as a Cumulative Impact Zone and applicants "must be able to demonstrate to the Council and other responsible authorities that granting a new or varied licence will not add to the cumulative impact already being experienced within the area."
Operators, who are also the owners of The Courtyard, want to vary the premises licence that currently restricts Seasons to operate solely as a restaurant, save for alcohol being served to those waiting to be seated or ancillary to a restaurant meal.
Applicants want the venue to be used similar to a drinking establishment during private prebooked functions (the current condition states that customers shall remain seated when consuming alcohol), and, at all times, for up to 20 customers to be permitted to stand while consuming beverages in a small area at the entrance.
The current licence requires a minimum of three SIA door supervisors to manage customers from Seasons and adjacent premises from 10pm on Friday and Saturday evenings when the Courtyard is open and trading. Applicants also want this condition removed.
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The licencing officer at Rotherham Council said that the changes would make the premises "more akin to a pub than a restaurant and would adversely affect residents within the locality due to noise and the likelihood for increased disorder following increased demand for drinks only within the premises."
The representation from the officer adds: "With the current licence allowing until midnight and the applicant wishing to retain midnight on a Friday and Saturday there would be the likelihood of the premises becoming a bar after 22.00hrs with no door supervision and significant adverse impact on residents in the locality.
"The applicant has also requested the terminal hour remain midnight Monday – Thursday should the premises be carrying out a pre-booked function. This would result in the premsies having vertical drinking only until midnight with no door supervision or restriction. The ability to operate in this way would affect the crime and disorder and public nuisance licensing objectives."
An objection on behalf of the three local councillors, Cllr. Ellis, Cllr. Read and Cllr. Hoddinott adds; "At the original hearing [in 2020] the committee were on numerous occasions told and reassured that the premises would only be solely used as a restaurant and that they aspired to becoming a Michelin star restaurant. Due to this the committee attached various conditions to ensure this happened and to ameliorate the problems that the local community are facing. It was only due to the conditions being attached that the license was granted.
"The proposed removal of some of the conditions ... would enable an extensive area to become a bar area, only being used for the serving of alcohol with no necessity for any food to be served or consumed. This is at complete odds to all that was said to the committee and the community."
Seasons website
Images: Seasons
3 comments:
Are these the same Councillors that didn't bat an eyelid when KFC opened up across the road? (contrary to RMBC's own policies of opening fast food outlets near to schools). They say cumulative impact. I say double standards.
I can't see the problem here. It's a small venue, especially when compared to places like the hell hole that is the Masons so it's hardly going to make a big difference. A craft ale bar seems like a good addition to Wickersley and may actually add something a little different to the local night time economy.
As a side note, It's ridiculous that all the poncy restaurants are allowed in Wickersley but the mention of a micro craft/ale bar, such as Roadhouse or Dragon's Tap at Stag, being allowed ends in accusations of potential drunken debauchery. The fact is Bars like those (allowed by the council) at The Stag do not attract Carling drinking muppets so the trouble would still be centered around the other bars in Wickersley anyway. Anyone wanting a decent beer has to travel out of Wickersley, including the local councillors who object to every application. However, they seemed to be having a good time in the Dragon's Tap with John Healey not so long ago so why not allow the same at Wickersley? As for having to have bouncers on the doors of this restaurant I think most people agree that it's the bouncers that attract trouble in the first place.
Well said. What would they have instead then. Another fast food takeaway or charity shop.
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