A Birkenhead cafe’s plan to turn itself into an early evening bistro has gone through, despite claims that noise at the site was as loud as Liverpool’s Mathew Street on certain “party nights”.
Liberty Bell Coffee, on Hamilton Street, Birkenhead, will be allowed to serve alcohol as part of the change, after Wirral Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee approved its proposal.
Alcohol will be served from 9am until 9.30pm Monday-Wednesday, 10pm on Thursday, and 10.30pm on Friday and Saturday, with booze served between 10am and 9.30pm on Sundays.
The premises will close half an hour after last orders.
The cafe opened in November last year, and wanted to expand its appeal by playing live and recorded music at the premises as well as serving alcohol.
The committee were told that such music would predominantly be background music, with an acoustic guitarist performing occasionally.
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Tony Williams, who lives above the cafe, said although he had been given assurances that music would only be played at background level, the noise level was what you would expect to hear on Liverpool’s bustling Matthew Street on certain “party nights”.
He thought this was “shocking” and sounded like a “club in my bedroom”.
Mr Williams added that although the cafe was in a built up area near a train station, it is fairly quiet after around 6pm and a venue serving alcohol late into the evening would cause a noise disturbance.
The "party nights" Mr Williams was referring to seemed to be two events on July 17 and July 18 which led to noise issues.
Phil Stevens, Liberty Bell Coffee’s manager, said the disturbance caused by those events was “regrettable”, but it has led to him putting noise mitigation measures in place.
Felicity Tulloch, the applicant’s solicitor, said the premises would be managed responsibly and Mr Stevens’ team had taken serious steps to soundproof Liberty Bell Coffee to make sure noise does not escape and disturb those living nearby.
Ms Tulloch added that given these actions the council’s environmental health team had not objected to the proposal.
