A bid to convert an empty bank in Whitehaven into a cafe and wine bar have been revealed.
Lloyd Mossop wants to convert the ground floor of the former NatWest on Lowther Street into Navy’s Coffee and Wine Bar and hopes it will open by Christmas.
Mr Mossop was granted a premises licence for alcohol by Cumberland Council at a meeting this week.
One objection to the plans had been lodged with the authority’s licensing sub-committee over noise concerns and the proposed opening hours.
Members were told that there were residential properties above the street’s shops.
The objector, who was not named, said you could hear noise from the inside of other similar businesses in the area and added: “I object to there being bars in a residential area.”
Mr Mossop told officers there were no outside areas associated with the business and a noise impact assessment had been carried out, because of the neighbouring properties, and the results were fine.
He said the proposed opening hours had already been reduced and to further reduce them would impact the business. He added: “This is not a nightclub.”
After a short period of consideration sub-committee chairwoman, Councillor Jeanette Forster (Hillcrest and Hensingham, Labour), said they had reached a decision after carefully considering the application.
She added: “We note that the applicant has agreed to the conditions proposed by environmental health and trading standards.
“No representations that were received from the police, fire authority, planning or any other responsible authority. We note the written representation from a local resident who attended today, which raised concerns about potential outdoor music, noise levels, soundproofing of the premises, and the use of the outdoor area.
“The sub-committee has taken these concerns seriously. However, we are satisfied that the conditions agreed with environmental health and trading standards are proportionate and appropriate to promote the licensing objectives, particularly the prevention of public nuisance.
“In our view, these conditions adequately address the concerns raised by the resident and will help to minimise any risk of noise disturbance.”
Cllr Forster said they considered that the decision struck the right balance between the applicant’s right to operate a business and the need to protect the amenity of local residents.
She added: “Accordingly, the subcommittee grants the application for a premises license, subject to the conditions agreed between the applicant environmental health and trading standards.”
After the decision, Mr Mossop said: “It’s another step in the right direction. The fight we had with the planning application, and then we received an objection on the premises license, so to get it over the line, it’s a massive positive.”
He confirmed they were hoping to be open by Christmas and added: “There’s a lot of work to be done, but plan for success.”
Mr Mossop said the bar was named after their young son.
It is proposed that the business could remain open as late as 2am on bank holidays with live music until 12.30am, Thursday to Sunday but, in the application, Mr Mossop said it did not mean that it would take place every weekend.
It was also proposed that the business would be open between 9am and 10.30pm, Monday to Wednesday.
NatWest closed its Whitehaven branch in 2023.
