Wisbech could be set to welcome a new nightclub – on the ground floor of one of the town’s snooker clubs.
A planning application has been made to change the use of the disused ground floor of the H20 Snooker Hall on Chapel Road into a restaurant, bar and nightclub.
LSL Solicitors, who have filed the application on behalf of Shahid Rafique, say that changing the ground floor will “provide a valuable contribution to the appearance of the area,” and that it will “compliment the existing use on the first floor.”
The application also says that the new nightclub would be a “separate entity” from the snooker club, despite it also operating as a nightclub.
It claims that changing the unit into a nightclub would be “pertinent” to the aims of the Wisbech 2020 Vision scheme, which wants to improve the appearance of derelict buildings around the town centre.
However, the application could face opposition from police licensing officer Phil Richardson, who opposed H20 snooker club’s successful application to become a nightclub in January 2015.
He said: “There is a significant decrease in policing availability at 3am and this can be further reduced with officers already engaged in dealing with alcohol related incidents in custody.
“Closure of the venue at 3am and allowing a number of persons at various levels of intoxication is likely to result in an increased number of calls for service in relation to alcohol related offences.
“The area is within the community impact zone and persons leaving the venue from 3am onwards are likely to cause a negative impact on the community as there are a large number of residential properties in the area.”
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