Alcohol licence to be decided for proposed Whitley Bay restaurant and bar Horticulture

Councillors and representatives from Horticulture Leisure 2 Ltd will meet on Wednesday morning to discuss a new alcohol licence for Horticulture’s proposed seaside expansion to Whitley Road.

The committee will decide on the firm’s request to serve alcohol from 10am to 11pm, Monday to Sunday.

However, written representations to the local authority have emphasised that the new operation, pending approval, will be “food-led” with space for around 80 covers.

An email from the applicant to the local authority states: “The bar servery is set up for seated drinking and dining too and there is a private dining area set up to the rear of the venue.

"Save for a small area at the entrance where customers can wait for a table, the venue is set up in restaurant format with around 80 covers.”

However, the proposals have received two objections from locals.

One resident wrote: “I think it is outrageous for anyone to think we could be happy with this application, that would greatly disturb our everyday lives, cause more noise, more drunken behaviour, swearing, fighting, using our streets as toilets, more pollution from more cars dropping and picking up.”

Another submitted: “The amount of disturbance this would generate would be unacceptable.”

The applicant has stated that customers, if the licence is approved, will primarily be seated with trained staff monitoring music levels and noise from patrons. Written representations also emphasised the previous experience of Horticulture Leisure 2 Ltd’s director Mike Hesketh.

According to documents submitted to the council: “Mike and his team are very responsible operators who work with local and national charities such as Too Good to Go and Carbon Free Dining to avoid food waste, reduce carbon, and to give back to the local community.

"Their aim is to enhance the local community and offer an attractive venue for residents to patronise.”

The site previously operated as Evan’s Bistro but has remained empty since the closure of the business in 2019.

The meeting to decide the application is set for 10am this Wednesday, at North Tyneside Council’s Cobalt HQ.