Owner Sam Jones told the LDRS he believes people are “jumping on the bandwagon” to complain after he submitted an application to extend his restaurant, Bello Italia’s licence.
Bello Italia has been open for five weeks replacing the Cowshed bar at 18 Broadway in Bebington. The area is home to a number of businesses including micropub The Hoptimist and Broadway Steak and Wine.
The restaurant, which is run by the same owners as the Cowshed, describes itself as “Bebington’s finest Italian restaurant, serving authentic pasta, wood-fired pizza, tapas and fresh Mediterranean dishes”. However, it has been hit with a number of complaints following an application to Wirral Council.
Mr Jones has asked the local authority for permission to extend the restaurant’s licence to the outdoor area and remove a condition that no alcohol can be drunk outside. The licence allows the restaurant to sell alcohol until 10.30pm and stay open until 11.30pm.
No representations have been made by any responsible authorities including licensing, Merseyside Police and environmental health. However, 12 people wrote into the council to complain about “noise nuisance being caused by customers of the premises including whilst customers are in the outside area”.
They believe noise nuisance will increase if the application is granted. The latest complaints followed continued opposition to licence applications put forward by Mr Jones in recent years.
Mr Jones told the LDRS they decided to make a change to turn the premises into “a really nice swanky restaurant” they felt would fit better in the area around Broadway. He said it was an upmarket restaurant people would want but believes the latest complaints to be a witch hunt.
He said: “I have read through every one of them and it is just absolute rubbish. Where is the evidence? We have never had to call the police once and we have never had any noise complaints.
“They are now trying to make up more things against me. It’s just crazy. If you went past it now, you would think it’s fantastic.”
Mr Jones said the changes would just mean some people would be able to have a glass of wine outside and this would likely only be in the summer due to the weather. He said a number of other businesses already had pavement licences in the area.
He said he hadn’t had any complaints before making the application, adding: “This is a witch hunt now. They have never complained before. Every time I put up something, that is when people jump on the bandwagon.
“I can’t do any more to please the minority of neighbours. I go past them every day and say good morning and I get frowned at. I have done everything in my power I can physically do and some people you just can’t please.”
Councillors will make a decision on the licensing application on October 24.
Dining and Cooking