Shrewsbury wine bar bids to extend drinking licence
A wine bar is the latest venue to make an attempt to change licence agreements in Shrewsbury to allow more time for its customers to drink.
Ashley's Wine Bar, based in Shoplatch, wants to increase the amount of hours its guests can drink outside each day.
The bar is allowed to open until 2.30am each night but currently has to stop people drinking in the outside area at 10pm – something it wants to put back to midnight.
Owner Ashley Davies said that the plans were down to a change in drinking habits and the need for bars to match customer preferences.
He said: "Night-time economy is completely changing in the whole country, not just in Shrewsbury.
"It is down to about 50 to 70 per cent of people who are tending to drink at home before they come out.
"People used to go out at 7pm or 8pm, now they aren't going out until 10pm or later. That is why we are asking to change the licence because the night-time economy is so much later now.
"It is about looking at the bigger picture, there is so much going on across the board at the moment. People don't go to bars to meet people; now they are socialising online.
"But when people come out they want to sit outside and have a drink, they want to socialise outside.
"The weather is getting warmer now, people want to have a cigarette and a drink outside and it isn't until 2.30am, it is until 12am – I think that is fair."
Mr Davies said it was important to promote night-time economy as the town and businesses change.
He said: "If you look at the town centre there are empty shops because all the big stores are moving into business and industrial estate.
"We have to keep something in the town to keep it vibrant."
But the proposal to has come under fire and, according to Shropshire Council, a total of 24 objections have been submitted against the proposal raising concerns over "crime and disorder, public safety and public nuisance". Meanwhile, It comes as a councillors are investigating plans for a blanket restriction on pub opening hours in Shrewsbury town centre.
Members of Shrewsbury Town Council have been torn over whether to promote night-time economy or limit opening hours as part of licensing terms as some fear the negative effects late-night drinking has on residents.
Last month, councillor Malcolm Price, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for planning, said he was in favour of a cut-off time for town centre premises with late-night drinking limited to certain areas of the town.
The application will be discussed at a meeting of Shropshire Council's licensing act sub-committee on Thursday at 2pm at Shirehall in Shrewsbury.