A deli and restaurant on the Terry’s chocolate factory redevelopment has been given the green light – despite concerns from some neighbours about noise at night.
Ben Williams was granted an alcohol licence for the lower ground floor of the liquor store building, which has been empty since the famous chocolate factory closed in 2005, by councillors on the licensing committee.
His representative, Leo Charalambides, explained that the building, next to the landmark clocktower, had always been envisaged as a restaurant, bar or hotel.
The application was rooted in being part of the local community, geared towards the neighbours and will be family-friendly, he added.
Mr Williams is local to York and has returned to the city to settle down with his fiancee. In the mid-2000s he ran the acclaimed Rose and Crown gastropub in Sutton-on-the-Forest.
Although there were no objections from the likes of the police, 30 people sent objection letters to council, with one containing a petition signed by 52 named residents. There were 11 letters of support, though not all from those living in the Chocolate Works.
Three residents who spoke against the plans in public said they were not against the liquor store being turned into a hospitality venue in principle, but that the combination of later opening hours and alcohol were a concern in a residential area with hundreds of people living nearby.
Rosie Pressland said: “Those using the wine bar are unlikely to leave the premises quietly. They will not be tiptoeing out – alcohol fuels loudness.
“We are at risk of having a life sentence where we cannot sleep.”
Iain Sirrell said he accepted the intention was for an “upmarket establishment”.
“However, alcohol doesn’t know social class,” he added. “People affected by alcohol are naturally loud.
“To place a bar right in the middle of this risks inviting anti-social behaviour.”
Mr Charalambides said: “If you want your neighbours to be your customers, good neighbourliness is really at the heart of your approach. The last thing you want to do is to put off the very people you expect to visit.”
Without such a venue, the Chocolate Works risked becoming a “residential graveyard”, he added.
The venue has agreed to a series of conditions with North Yorkshire Police. There will be a minimum of 50 table covers available, substantial food will be on offer at all times and the outside seating area will be closed by 9pm.
Alcohol can be served on the premises from 11am to 10pm, Sunday to Thursday, and until 11pm on Friday and Saturday – with the venue closing half an hour later.
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