Two bars in the Gay Village, a warehouse-turned-party-space near the city centre and a new Italian delicatessen and restaurant in Cholrton had their plans approved by the town hall this week. Area in Sackville Street has been allowed to extend its opening hours to 5am despite local residents' concerns.
Elsewhere on the same street, EVA has been given the green light to put two extra bars outside the premises during the Manchester Pride weekend after a dispute with council staff. Meanwhile, on the edge of the city centre, a former warehouse which has been converted into a space for corporate parties has had its application approved for events to take place indoors until 1.30am.
However, its request to host outdoor events until 11pm was rejected. And in Chorlton, an Italian delicatessen and restaurant with branches in Didsbury and Wilmslow, has been given an alcohol licence ahead of opening later this year.
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The town hall hearing which took place on Monday (June 19) lasted several hours and saw several local residents make representations to councillors. Almost all of the applications were approved, but with some amendments.
Sackville Street bars
Having taken over from Tribeca last August, Area in Sackville Street opened in time for Manchester Pride. Since then, local residents say the operators - which own On Bar, Vanilla and five other venues including in London - have been running the bar well with fewer noise issues than there were before.
However, some raised concerns about the opening hours being extended from 3am to 5am. David Barnes who lives above the premises praised the operators for communicating with the residents and addressing most of their concerns.
The application was eventually granted by the licensing sub-committee. The panel also gave the green light to EVA – another bar further down the street.
Manager John Harvey asked for permission to put two extra bars on Richmond Street and Bloom Street during the Manchester Pride Weekend in August, but licensing officers said this would create a 'pinch point' in the congested street. Nevertheless, councillors said they were not convinced and gave the go ahead.
Dantzic Street warehouse
The licensing panel also approved an application for a warehouse in Dantzic Street to serve alcohol until 1am and close at 1.30am. The warehouse which has been converted into a space for corporate parties is a temporary use of a site which forms part of the Victoria North development near the city centre.
The land was used for the Summer of Love festival in 2021 and has hosted roughly 20 events since including for Halloween and the World Cup. However, some local residents objected to the application citing issues with past events.
One residents, Keith Hodgkinson, told the licensing panel that tenants of the four blocks located nearby were 'tormented' during the entire weekend of the Summer of Love festival took place. He said: "I don't want a repetition of that."
The licensing sub-committee approved one of the applications allowing indoor events until 1.30am. But councillors rejected a request for outdoor events to take place until 11pm, saying they think there is the potential for 'disamenity'.
Italian deli in Chorlton
With two delis in Didsbury and Wilmslow already, the team behind Casa Italia are hoping to open a third branch in Barlow Moor Road later this year. Like its other stores, the Chorlton branch will primarily be a delicatessen, but it would also have a restaurant for which an alcohol licence was requested until 11pm.
Seven residents objected to the application and some of them appeared at the town hall hearing this week. However, while they waited for the application to be heard, they discussed their concerns with the owners of the new premises.
By the time the residents presented their case to the panel they simply asked that the premises should shut by 10pm. Applicant Andrea D'Avanzo told the licensing sub-committee that he was happy to stop serving alcohol by 10pm, but the restaurant would need another hour before closing completely.
The panel agreed to the hours and granted the licence but added an extra condition that requires those drinking outside to be seated. The new deli, which will be branded as Domus Italia, is expected to open later this year.
