Plans for a bar with live music have been approved by the City of York Council to replace a former hairdresser’s salon.
The bar will replace Fab Hair on 46 Walmgate, where live music can be played from between 10am and 11pm everyday.
It will be able to be open until as late as 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, but must close by 12pm on all other nights.
At a licensing hearing last week neighbour Keith Rozelle said: “The area we live in has a wonderful sense of community.
“Social housing, students and private accommodation all live in cheek-by-jowl, which we truly hope to preserve and indeed build upon.
“There are few ordinary shops in the immediate vicinity for local residents to make use of but an incredibly large number of bars, restaurants and pubs.
“[They are] popular with visitors, students and tourists, but not frequented by local people, many of whom can’t afford to eat out or drink in wine bars.”
He added that “this is a slippery slope” and fears empty premises turning into “unimaginative” similar venues “will destroy this community.”
Joe Moore, the applicant, told the committee he has more than 20 years experience running bars and restaurants in York, including The Blind Swine and The Wright Place.
“I believe that the venue is in line with similar venues in the area,” he said.
“I disagree with the complainant that it’s a majority residential area.”
Mr Moore cited Slug and Lettuce and Revolution as examples of what he is not trying to achieve with the venture.
He said: “We’re not encouraging large groups of hens or stags to come in, which as we probably all know York is very popular for.
“It’s a very small bar with limited availability of seating, which would be somewhere around 30.
“We’re trying to aim at couples rather than large groups and I think what we’re trying to create is a small local bar for locals not necessarily aimed at tourists or stag and hen-dos.”
Coun Ian Cuthbertson, Coun Anne Hook and Coun Ashley Mason approved the plans.
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