A proposed gin bar in Walton from a firm that made hand sanitiser during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic has been met with opposition from residents and businesses alike.
An application has been made by Aintree Gin to open a bar on Walton Vale that would trade from 9.30am until midnight from Monday to Sunday. The proposals, which will go before Liverpool Council ’s licensing and gambling sub-committee on Friday, state that the opening hours remain “unspecified”.
According to its website, Aintree Gin launched in January 2020 to bars and restaurants across the city and is now opening its first permanent location. During the height of the pandemic, the company began to make its own hand sanitiser after production of its beverage halted.
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The plans to open a bar have been criticised by residents and businesses in the area, with seven objections sent into Liverpool Council. Among the concerns, which are partially redacted, are the need to “prevent trouble” caused by “drunken behaviours” and questions were raised if the applicant can “keep music to a level that doesn’t disturb residents”.
A business owner on Walton Vale has said they consider the bar’s potential clientele to be “detrimental” to its own operation. The objection added that the new venue could bring anti-social behaviour and “more problems/police call out/noise”.
One resident said: “I strongly object to this because I am tired of the amount of pubs and restaurants opening in this area and the ridiculous amount of noise they create, day and night. I must make it clear that my objection is based on concern of an increase in noise and anti-social behaviour, of which there is already plenty due to the amount of pubs and restaurants in the area.”
Despite no objections being lodged by Merseyside Police, environmental health or the licensing authority, one resident felt that an additional drinking establishment was one too many. They said: “Although opening a new bar is an exciting business adventure, I believe that doing this in a residential area that already has seven local bars and restaurants is a little bit excessive.”
Concerns were also raised about the difficulties that would arise around parking as one objectioner wrote: “I don't think it's a good idea us residents of Warbreck Avenue and surrounding roads already have a bad enough job trying to park outside our houses or even in our own streets more so since the Paddock bar opened. Also the taxis who constantly block Warbreck Avenue while waiting for the people they are picking up is already a nightmare.
“There will be more people hanging around these places till the early hours and the noise will be a nightmare. It's bad enough now when people are being loud when they are returning to their cars at the end of the night.”
The plans will be discussed later this week at Liverpool Town Hall.
