A BAR’s efforts to ‘compete’ in the summer months have received a setback.

Bosses of Lago in Bowness applied to the council to grant a variation to its premises licence to allow customers to drink outside – if a pavement licence was subsequently granted to the establishment.

Bar owner Lee Ellis told members of the licensing sub-committee for Westmorland and Furness Council that the venue, on St Martin’s Parade, was ‘struggling to compete’ during the day in the summer months due to the lack of outdoor seating and proposed adding three to four tables outside at a later date.

The application said: “All we ask is that we are given a fair chance to compete in the warmer summer months. The hospitality industry is tough enough at the moment and a repeat of last summer, where we had no outdoor seating throughout the hot weather would have a hugely detrimental affect on us this year.”

The sub-committee ruled it was unable to grant the condition proposed within the application because to do so would be a ‘direct contradiction’ to one of the conditions in the premises licence.

The condition says: “Patrons required to temporarily leave e.g. to smoke and then re-enter the premises shall not be permitted to take drinks or glass containers with them.”

The sub-committee noted the application did not request the removal of any condition from the current premises licence.

In 2022 the bar was granted a licence to be open to the public from midday to 11:30pm on Sundays to Thursdays, until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, as well as until 2am on Saturday and Sundays of bank holiday weekends.

The bar applied to add the following condition to the licence: “Patrons are permitted to take drinks and glass containers outside during times which the pavement café licence is in force. They will remain seated at all times and the area will be supervised by staff. Empty glasses and containers will be removed promptly.”

Residents had raised concerns and the application to vary the licence received eight representations all related to the licensing objective of the ‘prevention of public nuisance’.

Windermere and Bowness Town Council said they feel it would be ‘wholly inappropriate’ for a variation in the licence considering existing public nuisance issues.

The town council said: “The Town Council have been approached by residents of Bowness-on-Windermere asking for help in dealing with the issues they are currently facing in relation to public nuisance caused by the licenced premises Lago.

“Given the existing unresolved issues with the current licence the Town Council feel that it would be wholly inappropriate to allow any variation to that licence which could compound the public nuisance issues. This premises is located under residential units who already suffer considerable noise nuisance from Lago.

“Allowing drinkers out onto the pavement will inevitably increase the noise nuisance for the neighbours especially as customers will sit outside in hot weather when the flats upstairs will need to open their windows to cope with the heat”, the representation adds.

Local residents spoke of the impact of noise from the bar and told the committee their mental health had been ‘hugely impacted’.

One local resident said: “We’ve lost the enjoyment out of living in our own home.”

Mr Ellis told the committee he doesn’t want to be at ‘loggerheads’ with locals and added he is ‘more than willing’ to work with residents and the council.

He said he would install a noise limiter, move the speakers and said live music is ‘never’ on past 9pm.

“It’s not a rowdy bar, it’s a wine and cheese bar”, Mr Ellis added.

The sub-committee noted several complaints had been submitted to environmental health with investigations ‘ongoing’ following the granting of the premises licence which appear to relate to ‘unacceptable’ noise levels.

“Therefore the sub-committee would recommend that the premises licence holder engages with local residents and other stakeholders to implement an appropriate noise management plan which should be developed in consultation with the council’s environmental health team”, the sub-committee added.

Members of the licensing sub-committee refused the amendment to the licence on April 22 at Kendal Town Hall.