A thriving Newcastle bar and restaurant has urged councillors to let it open a new sister venue, after a rival sought to derail the plans.
Horticulture, which has become a hugely popular addition to the city centre’s food and drink scene since opening in 2019, is bidding to expand from its Market Lane home after taking over the former Don Vito’s site next door. The closed-down Italian is set to be transformed into Pepo, a trendy drinks lounge and eatery offering high-end cocktails and sumptuous sharing platters.
But, after the move sparked objections from neighbouring bar Alvinos, Horticulture bosses defended their plans in front of city decision-makers this week. At a hearing of Newcastle City Council’s licensing sub-committee on Tuesday to determine whether to grant a licence for Horticulture’s expansion, councillors were told that Pepo would have the same “modern, clean design” but would be its own brand boasting a separate food and drink menu.
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Barrister Charles Holland, representing Horticulture, said that around £250,000 had been spent on the renovation of Don Vito’s and vehemently denied any suggestion that the plan was a “Trojan horse” to pave the way for a new bar. It came after bosses at Alvinos alleged to the council that Horticulture is contravening its licence by operating as a bar rather than a restaurant and said they fear that the new venue would do the same.
In emails sent to the council, Alvinos director Paul Pringle claimed there was “nothing exceptional” about the Pepo plan and said he had photos, video footage, and Facebook posts proving its accusations. Council licensing boss Jonathan Bryce also raised concerns that Horticulture had not been “wholly transparent”.
Mr Holland refuted the allegations and said he had “no idea” how a “covert” photo of customers on Horticulture’s outdoor terrace, taken by Alvinos but not made public at Tuesday’s hearing, shows the venue breaking any rules. He added: “It is hard to see how this is anything other than our nearest competitive neighbour seeking to use the licensing regime to compete with us rather than improving their own offer to compete with us.”
Mr Holland confirmed that Northumbria Police and the city council’s environmental health department had withdrawn objections to the scheme after the venue agreed to conditions that would explicitly force it to trade as a cafe bar and restaurant with a "substantial" food menu. He also said that it was “important” for new venues to open around Pilgrim Street, given the major regeneration plans that will see thousands of new workers moving to a new HMRC headquarters there and the Bank House development.
Coun Linda Wright questioned the proposed sharing board menu at Pepo’s, saying: “They are not a proper meal, they are what you snack on when you are drinking. That does not fit in, to me, with you saying that you are not a drinking establishment.” Venue owner Mike Hesketh replied that there was a “food-focused” plan for Pepo that two people would “struggle” to eat a 2,200-calorie sharing platter shown to the committee as an example of the menu.
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