Top Wirral bar's plan stirs local opposition (From Wirral Globe)

Top Wirral bar's plan stirs local opposition

1:31pm Friday 17th August 2012 in News By Geoff Barnes

QUADRUPLE winners of the accolade Wirral’s Most Professional Bar team – The Wro in West Kirby – have raised the hackles of local residents by planning to extend week-end operating hours until half-past midnight.

The application – for Friday and Saturday nights - will be studied by Wirral planning authority next week.

It has triggered a catalogue of complaints from people living in Riversdale Court, Dee Lane and Riversdale Road.

Among the objections they claim that extended hours would cause more noise later at night – they already endure being woken by late-night by revellers shouting and banging car doors.

They state further that double yellow lines were ignored by drivers and caused highway hazard. To grant the application, they add, would seriously damage residents’ quality of life and potentially further jeopardise the health and safety of residents.

The applicant has countered the complaints with a petition of support for the extension plan signed by 650 people. More than 30 individual letters backing the plan were also submitted to the planning authority.

The petition points to the economic benefits created by The Wro including the provision of 60 jobs and the “positive impact the business has had on the vibrancy and character of West Kirby.”

The company, which has twice won the Merseyside Best Bar award, argued that their present opening hours were unreasonable. Other premises were allowed to operate until 1am and The Wro struggled to compete.

Planners acknowledged that the award-winning Wro, in Grange Road, West Kirby, was considered to be a business that contributed socially and economically to the area.

They state in a report to next week’s planning meeting: “The Wro makes a significant contribution economically to West Kirby and is professionally run.

"The council has supported the development of the business through its regeneration and tourism activities. This support has enabled The Wro to operate a number of business activities in West Kirby.”

But it was considered that the proposed extension into the early hours would generate excessive noise to the detriment of residential amenity.

Recommending refusal of the application to extend opening hours they commented: “Concern remains that granting permission would increase the potential for noise and general disturbance at times when residents should expect higher levels of amenity.”