Leamington town centre beauty salon is granted drinks licence to serve wine and fizz to clients

Clients at a Leamington beauty salon will soon be able to enjoy a glass of wine or fizz after councillors agreed to grant the premises a drinks licence.

Two letters of objection were considered by Warwick District Council’s licensing panel when it met on Tuesday but their fears were largely addressed by restricting the opening hours of the Regent Street premises.

Polished Nail Bar owner Julia Bajralija explained to the panel that the drinks would only be offered to those customers who had pre-booked beauty treatments.

She said: “This isn’t a public place, it is for pre-booked beauty clients. The idea is to attract all-girl parties such as bridal groups and the bar area will only be open during the operating hours of the salon.

“This is quite common in places like London and other major cities where you can have your hair blow-dried and enjoy a glass of prosecco - I’m not trying to do anything unusual.

“I have the space and I think it would be a nice add-on to the business - a little frivolous treat. I don’t want to be a publican, I run a beauty salon.”

Neighbour Carolyn Gifford, who also spoke to the panel on behalf of fellow resident Dr Andrew Cave, had raised concerns about the number of licensed premises already in the area and whether there was a need for the salon to have a drinks licence.

She said: “On the prevention of public nuisance, the first question to ask is if there is any need for this licence. There are already no less than 18 licences in Regent Street alone - 23 within a 100-yard radius. Any customer wanting a glass of wine or Prosecco before or after having their nails done is, frankly, pretty much spoiled for choice.

“This nail salon is successful without an alcohol licence and I am sure it will not fail if it does not get one. I fear it is inevitable that if this licence is granted, the other two nail bars [in Regent Street] will feel the competition is unfair and they will also apply.”

Mrs Gifford also raised concerns that the premises would operate as a nail bar by day and as an alcohol bar by night but added that restricting the opening times to 8pm would help overcome those fears.

After hearing that the owner had no intention to open late into the evening, the panel granted a premises licence on the condition that the sale of alcohol would only be permitted until 7pm - 8pm on a Friday and Saturday - and would only be available to those who had pre-booked a treatment.