The West Riding Hotel in Scarborough will be allowed to extend its opening hours and sell alcohol later than before following approval from the council’s licensing committee.

Based in Scarborough at 28 Castle Road, The West Riding Hotel will now be permitted to remain open from 10am to 1.30am and to serve alcohol from 10am to 1am.

It was previously allowed to remain open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, until 11pm on Sundays, and until midnight from Monday to Thursday.

The sale of alcohol was also previously limited until midnight at the latest on Fridays and Saturdays.

SCARBOROUGH: Scarborough Council extends opening hours of West Riding Hotel despite ‘anti-social behaviour’ complaints

Additionally, the hours during which live music, recorded music, and entertainment are permitted on the premises will now be from 10.00 until 00.30 every day, although some new conditions have also been imposed.

The plans were approved by the council’s licensing committee at a meeting on Thursday September 29.

The application was originally met with objections from members of the public during the consultation stage, including “allegations of anti-social behaviour” taking place on the premises.

Objections from members of the public also addressed concerns about “additional noise and nuisance due to the extensions of opening hours and alcohol sales”.

The council said it did not find evidence to support those claims.

The minutes of the council’s licensing meeting state that the committee accepted the evidence that there had been no reports of complaints at the premises “other than one relating to an alleged unproven breach in relation to the coronavirus social distancing requirements”.

The meeting, which was not open to members of the public, was attended by representatives of the applicant, Craft Union Union Pub Company Ltd, including David Darby, regional manager, as well as Richard Taylor, solicitor.

In coming to its decision, the council said it took into consideration licensing objectives ofprevention of crime and disorder, prevention of public nuisance, public safety, and the protection of children from harm.

The committee noted that the police had withdrawn their objection and none of the people who lodged objections attended the meeting, so they were not able to question them.

The committee did hear from the designated premises supervisor of the West Riding and accepted her evidence that “she actively manages the premises and prevents drinks being taken to the outside licensable area after 8pm”.

Council extends opening hours of busy hotel despite ‘anti-social behaviour’ complaints