A NEW premises licence for the Tropical Turtle in Maiden Street, Weymouth has been approved – despite concerns about late night disturbance from some neighbours.

A licensing meeting hearing last week was told that the new business was nothing like a previous bar and club on the site, which had been closed down, and was designed to be family-friendly offering Caribbean food with only a small bar area.

Licence holder Kristian Barker said he had already done his best to tackle any issues which residents feared and promised to tackle any problems, personally.

He told the hearing it would be an entirely different business than was there before and, compared to other Weymouth establishments, would close early.

His representative told the hearing that the venue it was not likely to become part of the Weymouth drinking circuit.

To enforce this the new licence will only allow the sale of alcohol with a substantial food order – either sit-in, or take-away.

The new licence allows the sale of alcohol, only on the premises from 10am until 11pm and has set a maximum limit of 50 for the ground floor bar, restaurant and mezzanine floor. The sale of alcohol will be limited to customers who are, engaging, or have engaged, in a sit-down table meal, or who have booked a sit-down table meal and are waiting for their table, or who have ordered a substantial take away meal.

The business will also have a duty to monitor the behaviour of any customer who leaves the premises, including temporarily, to ensure they do not take alcohol out of the premises or smoke in the alleyway between Maiden Street and St Mary Street.

Said a statement with the new licence: “The sub-committee understood, and took into account, the representations made by Respect Weymouth relating to the potential for noise and disturbance in connection with the operation of an open bar at the premises.  They noted that Respect Weymouth supported the operation of a restaurant and take away with a bar tied to the service of food.

“The sub-committee also took into account the applicant’s representations that the application was for a modest restaurant which would be aimed at families not teenagers along with a take away and a bar for use by customers before and after their meals and for customers waiting to collect their take away meal.

“The sub-committee noted that the applicant wished to allow anyone to purchase alcohol at the bar and hoped that they would also purchase food and that this was said to be needed for the viability of the business.  However, the sub-committee considered that, having regard to the licensing objectives and the location of the premises within the Cumulative Impact Area, that it was necessary to impose conditions to ensure that alcohol was only served to customers who had ordered a substantial meal (sit down or take away) or who were about to.”