Liquor licence given for Bognor restaurant despite public fears

Kevin Stillwell said he wanted to work with those who lived next to his Our Place restaurant in Waterloo Square though he had earlier clashed with them.

Mr Stillwell was granted permission by Arun District Council's licensing sub-committee to sell alcohol to customers who buy a 'substantial meal' between 8am and midnight seven nights a week.

He will also have to take last orders by 10.30pm and ensure any live entertainment, which must be restricted to solo or acoustic singers, is finished by the same time.

He has to extend his CCTV system to cover the back of his premises as well as the front, to cut down the potential for crime.

Sub-committee chairman Cllr Dudley Wensley said: "We have noted the information that has been raised and the committee is satisfied that the conditions already imposed and accepted by the applicant should be sufficient to allay the concerns that the objectors and other interested parties have."

The disagreement at Arun District Council's licensing sub-committee was about the number of motorcyclists who gather around his business and the noise they generate.

Lifelong biker Mr Stillwell denied the residents' claims that ten bikes had been parked outside his business the night before his licence hearing.

He said there were only four machines present. He also denied the residents' comments that he and his friends frequently sat revving up their machines in the early hours of the mornings and on Sundays.

Allegations were made in their written comments about reckless riding of the two-wheelers around Waterloo Square.

Mr Stillwell, who opened the English/Polish restaurant four months ago, said he had put up a notice once he became aware of the problem, asking the bikers to respect his neighbours.

But he complained that not every motorcyclist around Waterloo Square could be linked to him: "I feel that any experiences of motorcycle nuisance are being pushed in my direction."

One of his neighbours, Sandie Spink, said: "Unfortunately, we are still having a large congregation of motorcyclists outside the restaurant. They are revving their machines and I have reported this to the police.

"My (five-year-old) son is getting very little sleep and this is affecting our lifestyle dramatically. I am also studying to become a teacher and I am finding it very hard to do that."

But she said she and her neighbours had no overall objection to Mr Stillwell running a licensed restaurant. His premises supervisor, Heather Page, said she had spoken to many of the bikers who used the restaurant, often at 7.30am on Sundays, to ask them to keep down their noise.

"I am willing to ask them to park further away from the restaurant," she stated. "Very few visit us in the week on their machines but they do come on a Sunday morning because that's when we do bikers' breakfasts in the restaurant."

She continued: "We do intend to work with people.

Please let us know about anything that concerns you. Come into the restaurant and see us. I care deeply about maintaining the highest standards in the running of the premises."

She and Mr Stillwell stated their intention to close the restaurant well before the midnight deadline for selling alcohol.

He denied any plans to become a pub and said closing time would be around 10.30pm to avoid any problems with late-night drinkers.

Cllr Jim Brooks, who represented other Waterloo Square residents, said it was important not to add to law and order problems around the area.

"I feel we have reached a criticial point in Waterloo Square in terms of disorder and matters of that sort.

"This looks to me less like a restaurant '“ which I would welcome '“ than a pub selling food."

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