Karaoke bar decision due in early 2013 (From York Press)
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Barbican Road karaoke bar decision due in early 2013
7:29am Saturday 29th December 2012 in News
By Mark Stead, mark.stead@thepress.co.uk
A DECISION on whether a former Chinese restaurant in York can become a late-night karaoke bar is set to be made early in the new year.
Plans for the refurbishment of the old Royal Dragon in Barbican Road have been submitted to City of York Council, but have been criticised by local residents.
The applicant, ZL Chen, wants to turn the building into a music venue called The Regency. The council granted a licence last month, but the proposed new venture still needs planning permission.
The site is being renovated, with plans to feature a ground-floor restaurant, three dining rooms for parties on the upper levels, and 11 karaoke rooms. Agents for Mr Chen said “significant investment” was being made in the building, which also once housed The Spotted Cow pub.
Council planners are expected to decide in mid-January whether the plans can go ahead, but they previously raised “significant concerns” about the venue’s licence application, which also drew objections from nearby residents, due to the owners wanting to open until 3.30am every day.
A planning statement by town planners JWPC said the capacity of The Regency would be 100 and it would create ten new jobs. It also said the building was “of historic merit” and at risk, despite not being listed.
It said: “The building is in need of a new use. The proposal therefore seeks to secure a new role for the upper floors which is both economically viable and consistent with the building’s conservation.”
The firm said soundproofing measures were included in the design to prevent music “impacting unreasonably” on nearby residents, and the last entry time for customers - who will have to eat at the restaurant to use the karaoke facilities - would be midnight.
It said the scheme would “preserve the site’s historic character” and pay for its future upkeep.
Eight objections have been received from local residents, saying the proposed karaoke bar is in the wrong location as it would be next to a residential area, and raising fears about noise disturbance, including people continuing to sing after leaving.
Comments(14)
Paul Meoff
says...
10:05am Sat 29 Dec 12
First a Chinese restaurant
Followed by a Japanese karaoke bar
What next? A Korean hot dog outlet?
hustler
says...
11:10am Sat 29 Dec 12
Funnyian
says...
11:13am Sat 29 Dec 12
bob the builder
says...
11:27am Sat 29 Dec 12
Buzz Light-year
says...
11:42am Sat 29 Dec 12
I went to loads of very rowdy gigs there. Very noisy, drunken gigs. People standing on tables, smashed glasses, loud raucous music that sort of thing.
Karaoke will be positively sedate and civilised by comparison.
yorkborn66
says...
11:45am Sat 29 Dec 12
bob the builder wrote:Agree with you on this, I remember when it was “The Spotted Cow “, had good bands playing in the day.
Excellent, perhaps people have forgotten the history of this area, the former industrial use and notably when this was the Irish quarter and the police wouldn't even venture in. It has only become more 'residential' in the last 20 years as former industrial or shop units have been converted. The inn has been there longer. It's like townies moving to the countryside and complaining about sheep bleating and church bells!
bob the builder
says...
12:27pm Sat 29 Dec 12
Keeet Lemon
says...
1:27pm Sat 29 Dec 12
eurosteve
says...
1:31pm Sat 29 Dec 12
at least the car park is big enough to get Police vans in.
capt spaulding
says...
2:07pm Sat 29 Dec 12
Buzz Light-year wrote:I bet I knew you back then.
Funny seeing folk complaining about possible noise from what used to be the Spotted Cow.
I went to loads of very rowdy gigs there. Very noisy, drunken gigs. People standing on tables, smashed glasses, loud raucous music that sort of thing.
Karaoke will be positively sedate and civilised by comparison.
Older Sometimes Wiser
says...
3:03pm Sat 29 Dec 12
bob the builder wrote:Nice comment!
Medieval in history and medieval in outlook, welcome to York where outsiders are welcome if they stay for no longer than a fortnight - longer stays available for students!
I must be the exception being acknowledged and recognised (occasionally) after only fifteen years residence, and a Lancastrian too........
Woody G Mellor
says...
8:38am Sun 30 Dec 12
capt spaulding wrote:A place I used to frequent too. And I used to play there.
Buzz Light-year wrote:I bet I knew you back then.
Funny seeing folk complaining about possible noise from what used to be the Spotted Cow.
I went to loads of very rowdy gigs there. Very noisy, drunken gigs. People standing on tables, smashed glasses, loud raucous music that sort of thing.
Karaoke will be positively sedate and civilised by comparison.
DeeJaiEss
says...
1:30pm Sun 30 Dec 12
My mother worked behind the bar when Joan Whitehead owned it (she was temporarily in the Guiness Book of Records for shouting 'Siouxeee' - ironic when I think my mother is called Susan!!) and was there until The Spotted Cow closed.
I used to glass collect now and again and my, when the bands played, it was deafening!! Even upstairs, the noise was such that you might has well have had the drummer in your cochlea!
Tinnitus? Well, indeed!!!
Those objections will be from the buildings new neighbours who now reside on the site of the old bus depot.
If the old Spotted Cow was to return, they would know about noise pollution then.
It would be like a scene from the Banks House in Mary Poppins when Admiral Boom set off his cannon!!
Willy Eckerslike says...
9:52am Sat 29 Dec 12
Come on planners do the right thing for once.