Leamington cellar bar gets the backing of police and councillors after a debate to cut its opening hours

A call to cut the opening hours of a Leamington cellar bar in a bid to reduce potential late night noise heard in apartments above the premises has failed.

Warwick District Council’s environmental health team wanted Robins Cellar, in Victoria Terrace, to be closed at 12.30am with last entry just 30 minutes earlier.

But at a licensing panel hearing yesterday (Wednesday), councillors ignored their argument and agreed to a suggestion from Warwickshire Police allowing the premises to stay open until 2.30am on a Friday and Saturday - earlier in the week - with last entry at 1am.

Speaking at the hearing John Gregory, the solicitor for applicants Sandeep Panaich and Kamaljit Dhesi, said the hours had been a compromise.

He told the three-man panel: ”It has to be said that the agreement reached with the police does represent a significant reduction in the hours initially applied for and it demonstrates the applicants’ willingness to address the concerns of the responsible authorities.”

The basement bar, previously called Robins Well, is part of an imposing three-storey building the top floor of which is being converted into apartments and which, according to Mr Gregory, already benefited from a drinks licence.

He said: “Environmental health are now asking that the premises shut considerably earlier than the existing licence allows and, if I may say so, that is slightly surprising because the baseline against which the effects of this application must be assessed is that the whole building can operate to the hours now agreed with the police.

“It is difficult to see how this application can cause additional public nuisance over and above what is already permitted.

“There needs to be a balance struck. What I would say is this is a town centre location and if any night time economy is wanted at all there has to be some tolerance of activity late in the evening. This is a town centre business that will play a key part in the economic recovery of south Leamington in particular.”

Environmental health officer Peter Lawson told the meeting that it was the noise from people coming and going rather than from inside the premises that was of concern.

He said: “We don’t see noise from the cellar disturbing people in the first floor flats. The issue is the noise and disturbance to people from those coming out at night and particularly from those hanging around the area to smoke.”

Mr Panaich, one of the applicants who also owns the building, looked to reassure the panel. He said: “These are luxury flats rented out by us so it’s not in our interest to allow noise out there.”