Plans to open a bar in a disused church are due before Councillors next week

A DISUSED church could soon form part of the city’s night scene if plans to transform it into a 2am bar get the go ahead.

The derelict St Andrew’s United Reform Church on Newgate Street Chester could be reopened as a “high class” bar/resturant/live music venue complete with a function room for special occasions.

But city centre residents, who live close to the proposed bar off Pepper Street, have objected to the plans which could see the new venue join the growing number of late night establishments staying open after midnight in the city.

Next week councillors sitting on Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Licensing Act Sub-Committie will have to decide whether to give plans for the grade II listed church the green light, allowing the venue to serve alcohol to punters until 2am every weekend.

And, if given the green light the new bar will be able to serve alcohol from 10am-1am Sunday-Thursday before closing at 1.30am, and play recorded and live music with dancing facilities until 1am – 2am on Friday’s and Saturdays.

Residents living close to the church fear that, if granted permission, the restaurant/bar could be transformed into a night club, seeing punters dancing and partying into the early hours of the morning.

In an objection to the application one resident said that the church would become “the biggest bar in Chester” and called for extra conditions to prevent it from becoming a club once it was up and running.

“The existing venues around the area are sufficient and any further venues/or extension in hours would create even more problems for us,” he said.

“I accept there are businesses in the city centre but we should not have to contend with sick and urine on our doorsteps each morning, and all I see is more and more bars opening later and later.”

And CWaC Cllr for Chester City Ward, Samantha Dixon, has called for a halt in extended opening hours across the city centre saying the 2am licensing hours would have a “detrimental impact” on the lives of residents living nearby.

But pub and restaurant owner Simon Rodenhurst, who is working in conjunction with the Grosvenor Shopping Centre on the church restaurant, has reassured residents living near the church that it would not be turned into a nightclub or live music venue and the customers would be “high class”.