An alcohol licence for a bar and restaurant venue in Cleethorpes has been renewed.
An application was made to get a renewed licence for Folk in Cambridge Street, Cleethorpes, after its previous licence expired due to the company it belonged to being dissolved. It has operated on a temporary licence basis in the meantime.
However, objectors raised concerns over public disorder, and noise nuisance. Councillors decided on the licence application and allowed it. The licence covers supply of alcohol from 10am to midnight, Sunday to Wednesday, and 9am to midnight, Thursday to Saturday, though Folk's advertised opening hours are more limited to 10 or 11pm finishes.
Most of the previous licence's conditions have remained the same. These include CCTV system conditions, customers not allowed to take drinks or glass containers outside when temporarily leaving, doors and windows closed after 10pm, and signage requesting customers respect local residents and leave quietly.
Customers' use of its external rear courtyard has been extended an hour, from 9pm to 10pm. Humberside Police also successfully requested conditions concerning drugs policy and that when open, "substantial food shall be available until at least one hour before the end of alcohol sales".
The focus of the five representations on the granting of the licence largely focused on disorder and noise nuisance concerns. "On a Friday and Saturday night the right measures are not taken to protect the residents surrounding this venue," claimed a resident in a prior written statement. The neighbour complained of being "within 15ft of loud thumping music going on way past the times stated".
Croft Baker Ward Cllr Malcolm Morland (Labour) also submitted concerns about noise from Folk's courtyard and suggested a noise abatement strategy. The council report prior to councillors' decision states there have been three reported incidents of crime or antisocial behaviour at Folk in the last 24 months. And there have been "no active noise complaints where noise diaries have been completed and returned for investigation".
Folk's recent licence outcome comes after the local MP separately raised concerns about the growth of AirBnBs in nearby Sea View Street in Parliament. Melanie Onn MP (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes) observed there had been "a noticeable uptick".
"That street has a unique identity, and the Airbnbs are taking away from the impact of local businesses and the local tourist trade, because they are using those shop façades."
