Householders to resist Wirral bar's midnight music bid (From Wirral Globe)

Householders to resist Wirral bar's midnight music bid

12:52pm Wednesday 22nd August 2012 in News By Stephanie Cureton

Soft Rock Cafe in Liscard

WIRRAL householders and councillors have joined forces to fight plans for a cafe bar to stay open later.

The Soft Rock Cafe in Liscard has applied to Wirral Council to open its doors from 8am until 12.30am every day of the week.

It means the Mexican and tapas bar would open an hour earlier than at present and shut half-an-hour later.

According to documents to go before the borough’s licensing committee next Friday, bosses at Soft Rock Cafe also want permission to play music until midnight seven days a week.

However, members of the Central Liscard Area Residents’ Association (CLARA)

Liscard councillor Darren Dodd is backing the residents. He said: “We have had a number of complaints about the Soft Rock Cafe since it opened earlier this year.

“Residents say they are being disturbed by the music and from noisy customers leaving the premises late at night. I do not believe that the council should grant them these changes.”

The bar opened in April serving south American dishes and tapas. However the application also asks that the council removes the condition that food is served there. Councillor Dodd said there are concerns the venue could become solely a drinking establishment in the future.

He added: “When the premises were granted a licence, one of the conditions was that food must be served but if that is removed it could mean another late-night bar for Liscard.

“The residents feel very strongly about this and we will be hoping to stop the changes from going ahead.”