Residents reassured as coffee shop approved

The application for a live music and alcohol licence at the address on Church Lane was granted by the licensing sub-committee last week.

The two-storey premises is intended to be used as a coffee shop during the day and a restaurant serving traditional British dishes in the evening.

This is despite the concerns of one set of neighbours, who had written to the council urging them to reject the plans due to the potential disturbances that they felt they would experience.

Some of the objections included the possibility of anti-social behaviour as a result of alcohol consumption and potential access to the property via a footpath around the back of the property.

However, premises owner Ian Sinclair, a local businessman who has been involved in a number of successful businesses in the area, insists that such fears were mere conjecture and that there was no need to worry about either.

“It’s going to be a very tastefully done, stylish restaurant, and any anti-social behaviour just would not be tolerated in any way or form,” he said.

“As for the path, it is not in our interest for people to leave via the back. Encouraging people to leave this way would mean people could disappear without paying.”

Mr Sinclair has been developing the property for the past three years and insists that neighbours have been taken fully into account and all necessary precautions had been made.

“At no point have I ever thought about running roughshod over the neighbours. There is sound insulation being put into the walls to a level of 60 decibels. There should be no interference sound-wise.

“We aren’t going to be having live music blasting out every night anyway. It will be mostly solo artists on special occasions.”

Mr Sinclair says that he hopes the facility, which will also host an outdoor seating area at the rear which will only be used prior to 9pm, can become a positive addition to the village.

“In 2006, there was a survey carried out amongst all Shevington residents, and 30 per cent of respondents requested a restaurant, bistro, a coffee shop. That’s what the local community wants.”

The licensing conditions allow the venue to sell alcohol from 12pm until 10pm Monday to Saturday and 12pm until 9pm on Sundays.