A WINDSOR restaurant will make its case to councillors this week to obtain a license to sell alcohol until midnight.

Members of the Royal Borough licensing panel sub-committee will convene this Thursday (January 7) to decide whether or not to approve the Lounge’s license and opening hours plan.

The 13a High Street venue was formerly known as Suede Bar & Lounge but has come under new management.

The new owners are hoping to transform the restaurant so it can specialise in wine and cheese.

The applicant, Anil Kumar, seeks to open the restaurant, sell alcohol, and play live and recorded music as well as dance performances from 10.30am until midnight, Monday to Sunday.

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They also want to provide hot food and drinks from 11pm until midnight, seven days a week.

The former Suede Bar was served a noise abatement notice by Environmental Protection (EP), who objected to the application, on January 13 because of “excessive noise and voices” emanating from the premises as well as anti-social behaviour from patrons of the bar who used the bus shelters for smoking.

This notice has been breached, according to EP, and enforcement has been delayed due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

Over concerns of “public nuisance”, EP recommended the restaurant should only open until midnight instead of the original 2am closing time on Fridays and Saturdays – which the applicant has agreed to.

They added the bus shelters should not be used by patrons of the venue and wanted details of the outside lighting.

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In their report, EP stated: “We are very concerned that there would be the potential once again for a statutory noise nuisance to occur from both inside the venue from excessive noise and voices and from outside in the street from smokers who are patrons of the premises.”

However, the application has been met with a mix of support and objections from the public.

A majority of objectors had grave concerns over the noise, disturbance, and public nuisance the Lounge could produce to nearby residential properties.

One resident said they would be “living next to the nightmare neighbours from hell” if this application was to be approved.

However, people who supported the application said this will bring a “unique” and “sophisticated” business to the area, new employment opportunities, and new life to the high street which has felt the hard effects of the pandemic.

One supporter said: “This idea is a breath of fresh air and should attract the public who appreciate this style of menu, no other restaurant has this idea and I do not believe the council should tarnish the new current occupier from the previous occupant.”