OUTRAGED residents say they are preparing for sleepless nights after a new city centre dining quarter was given permission to open until 1.30am.
Multi-million-pound plans to transform the derelict Habitat building into a glass-fronted development filled with four restaurants and cafes complete with al-fresco dining have divided the city since they were announced in June.
Now, just weeks after the restaurant development was given the green light by planners, city centre residents are living in fear the late-night opening hours will see an increase in anti-social behaviour and make their lives ‘totally unbearable’.
During a Licensing Act Sub Committee hearing on Tuesday, Cheshire West and Chester councillors granted developer Bride Hall, owner of the Grosvenor Shopping Centre, a provisional statement allowing the restaurants to stay open to revellers until 1.30am.
The decision came despite concerns from residents living in Volunteer Street that the hours, allowing diners to eat and drink until 1am, will see an increase in drink-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour.
During the meeting residents expressed concerns diners would be noisy leaving the restaurants and returning to the Albion Street car park.
“We are going to have to deal with people making a nuisance of themselves in the street, people do not realise how far the noise carries,” said Catherine Bottomley, who works shifts and lives in Steele Street.
“We are going to have that noise when they are smoking, they will probably park in the surrounding streets and we will have the noise of people coming back to their cars.
“I am not saying that people will be doing anything wrong but people make noise.”
Residents also raised concerns the development could be changed into a ‘super nightclub’ if the four units were not filled by restaurants, and the opening times would get steadily later over time.
Representing the residents, Cllr Samantha Dixon argued that midnight was late enough for a restaurant to be open.
“You should think about the impact that this will have on people living here, it is quite true that you cannot control the behaviour of people who have left the premises but you can control when they do it,” said Cllr Dixon, who reassured residents she would challenge every licensing application.
But Bride Hall insists the establishment will not be a bar or club but a dining experience.
Mystery surrounds which restaurants will be opening, but Bride Hall said the interest had been massive and the companies was looking to open on a minimum 15-year lease, creating hundreds of jobs.
“We’re not trying to hide anything, 1.30am is not so startling in Chester, there are a number of premises that stay open way after 1.30am,” said Anthony Lyons, on behalf of Bride Hall.
The application has been granted permission to stay open until midnight Monday to Saturday and 11pm on Sundays. Each restaurant owner will need to apply for a licence once the occupiers are decided.
