A Greenhill cafe turned part time bar license application has drawn several objections from nearby inhabitants, who fear the bar will bring about noise pollution and unruly behaviour in the neighbourhood.
Sarah’s cafe, on Westwick Crescent, plans to operate as The Greenhill Tap, a tap room style bar, in the evenings after Sarah’s Cafe’s usual operating hours, which end around 2:30pm in the afternoon on most days.
26 concerned citizens wrote to the city council, listing several reasons including drunken disorderly behaviour, traffic issues, quality of life and bad influence to young children in the neighbourhood as some of the reasons why they oppose the granting of the license.
Some objectors stated that there were more than enough alcohol selling premises in the area, with two pubs located near the cafe, calling the addition of the Greenhill Tap excessive.
A few objectors also pointed out that the licence was being applied for by a Mr David Christopher Leasly, the owner of nearby pub The White Hart, and questioned why it was him on the application rather than the owner of the establishment, Ms Sarah Flaxman.
But when the news reached the Sheffield community online, many seemed to welcome the idea, touting it as a good addition to the area and blaming the objections on Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY), a phrase used to describe situations where residents do not wish for something not entirely pleasant, but needed, to be built in their areas just for the sake of keeping the status quo.
A Sheffield resident, who chose to only be named as Alex said of the licensing objections: “I’ve lived near food and fine wine and bar stewards – absolutely zero problem with noise from those places when they were open. The worst offenders are night clubs for early morning noises, but that’s to be expected. Worst for anti social behaviour are any drug or alcohol rehabilitation places and off licences in low income areas.”
The city council will hear the arguments and deliberate on the issue in a committee hearing on Monday (1 Sept), where the applicant and objectors will be allowed to voice their concerns and make their arguments to the city council before the council makes their decision on the application.