Police have raised concerns about plans to open a 210-seat pub in York city centre.
York company Pivovar and Thornbridge Brewery, who jointly run The Market Cat in Jubbergate beside Newgate Market, are planning a new bar called Fawkes and The Tiger, in the old Cath Kidston shop in Stonegate.
They want a licence to supply alcohol from 8am to midnight, and to open till 12.30am.
They have already held talks with North Yorkshire Police, and agreed a number of conditions including:
- providing a minimum of 210 seats for customers
- ensuring ‘substantial food and non-intoxicating beverages’ including drinking water are available up to three hours before the end of permitted hours for the sale of alcohol
- at least two door supervisors provided on York race days
- colour CCTV monitoring the pub
- closing all doors and windows between 11pm and 8am.
Pivovar has a record of operating safe and well run pubs in York, comprising Pivni, York Tap and Pavement Vaults, as well as the jointly owned Market Cat.
Fawkes And The Tiger would operate in the city centre ‘cumulative impact zone’, an area where the number of licensed premises and associated noise, crime and disorder adversely affect residents, visitors and other businesses.
The issue of new alcohol licences in the zone is restricted.
Not ‘food led’
In a response to the Fawkes And The Tiger licence application, North Yorkshire Police alcohol licensing officer PC Kim Hollis says: “The applicant has offered as part of the operating schedule a number of conditions which are welcomed by North Yorkshire Police.
“However they do not state that the premises must be ‘food led’ or a restaurant and they have chosen to omit this from the conditions, as well as no provision for waiter/waitress service or alcohol being ancillary to food meaning that this premises may be drink led.”
He says that customers will be able to consume alcohol at the premises without the offer of food for 3½ hours each day.
“Further as there is nothing in this or the other conditions that stipulate table covers, waiter service or alcohol ancillary to food, customers could use the 210 seats in the premises to consume alcohol with no obligation to have any food at any point while open.”
He adds: “As a result of this North Yorkshire Police have made contact with the applicant’s solicitor in order to mediate conditions to better mitigate against the risk associated with a drink led premises.
“Unfortunately the applicant has not considered the conditions offered and no agreement has been reached.”
PC Hollis asks that the licence conditions are changed to make it “a predominately food led establishment” and to incorporate a Challenge 25 age verification policy at the premises, rather than Challenge 21.
He writes: “North Yorkshire Police have concerns that without these changes to ensure the premises is food led and has a menu available for the majority of time the premises is open and operating that the premise would be able to operate predominantly as drink led venue which is likely to impact the licensing objectives of Prevention of Crime and Disorder and Prevention of Public Nuisance.”
The licensing hearing will take place next Monday, 17 October.
[tptn_list limit=3 daily=1 hour_range=1]