New Seaham bar and cafe wins licensing bid - serving early morning coffees as well as night-time drinks

A new bar and cafe has succeeded in its bid to extend the hours it can legally sell alcohol.
Picture c/o PixabayPicture c/o Pixabay
Picture c/o Pixabay

The decision means Alders Bar and Coffee House in Seaham, which officially opened on July 15, will be allowed to open as late as 11.30pm on weekends, although shorter hours will apply Sunday – Wednesday.

But following concerns about noise raised by families living nearby, council bosses agreed to restrict the business’s morning activities.

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Anthony Woollett, the applicant, said: “The reason we’ve asked for the extension in the morning is purely because we were asked by several locals if we could open at 7am.

People who are up early, who are going to work or walking their dogs and who want a coffee – there’s mornings where we’ve been in early and there’s a lot of people who think we won’t be serving food yet, but we can fire up the coffee machine.”

The ruling by Durham County Council’s Statutory Licensing Sub-Committee means by the businesses’s licence to sell alcohol will be extended to:

:: Monday – Wednesday 11am – 10pm

:: Thursday – Saturday 11am – 11pm

:: Sunday 11am – 10.30pm

General opening hours will also be extended, with the venue, in North Terrace, allowed to start trading from 7am everyday, with a further 30 minutes ‘drinking-up time’ after alcohol sales have ended.

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But due to concerns about noise, the venue will be barred from playing any ‘recorded music’ before 11am.

The issue of antisocial behaviour on the street, which is home to several other bars and restaurants, was also raised.

Mr Woollett added he included the ‘drinking-up time’ in his application to help ‘disperse’ customers at the end of a night in an attempt to minimise disturbance.

“We’re going to grant the variation of the premises licence,” said Coun Carole Hampson, who chaired the panel, “but with the condition that recorded music will be from 11am every morning.

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“We’re pleased about the dialogue between the business and residents, we hope it continues and if there are any problems that cannot be sorted, licensing-wise, you can always raise it with the council’s department.”