by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The couple who own Weymouth’s seafront Nook bar say they aim to bring something completely different for the town with their new venture.
Gareth and Amy Burton who have been managing the Nook for 13 years say their new business in St Edmund Street will be quieter, chilled, and more laid-back, based around vinyl albums played in their entirety and local live acoustic music.
Closing times will normally be before midnight with occasional later opening.
The only remaining objection to the new premises licence, Nigel Shearing from Respect Weymouth, told a licensing hearing on Tuesday that he found the outline of the business plans “super reassuring”.
“You have probably allayed 90 per cent of the issues I was going to present,” said Mr Shearing, offering the couple his backing.
He said resident in the area were fearful about having another bar in the area but he felt reassured as chair of the group about the couple’s approach and business model being presented.
Mr and Mrs Burton told the Dorset Council licensing committee said the new venture, to be called The Flip Side, was not about loud music or alcohol sales and would be driven by the music.
Mr Burton said the “listening café” concept was not new with its curate music, but it would be something different for Weymouth with the couple making what he described as “a big move” into a second premises.
Mr Burton said that with a full management team in place at The Nook the couple would personally be concentrating on setting up the new venue and getting it underway with an emphasis on quality coffee and light food, a family-friendly venue, with themed music days which might include sounds from the 70s, classics groups such as the Beatles and Beach Boys and soundtrack Sundays – all played through a quality sound system chosen for its sound and warmth, not volume.
Mr Burton said any late opening would be on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, up to midnight with earlier closing at other times, with the exception of New Year’s Eve.
The couple said the venue would be for those who wanted to lounge and sit, chat and share the music, not for those who wanted ‘vertical drinking’.
“There is a real gap in the community for something like this, we’re very excited about it… somewhere where you can go and experience doing something together which doesn’t cost the earth,” said Mrs Burton.
A formal decision on the licence application is expected within five working days of the Tuesday hearing although with the panel chairman Cllr Andrew Starr commenting that he only wished he lived closer to the venue, the outcome seems certain – with no objections from Weymouth Town Council, Dorset Police or Environmental Health officers.
