Scarborough's Cafe 55 granted licence allowing it to sell alcohol to diners

The applicant, Jason Bell, had to reapply to Scarborough Council for a premises licence for Cafe 55 at 49-55 Eastborough after the renewal date for the permission was missed.

North Yorkshire Police objected to the application on the grounds that the cafe is located in the town’s Cumulative Impact Zone which is designed to make it harder for new drinking establishments to open where there are already a number of licensed premises.

Due to the objection, a hearing of the council’s Licensing Sub-committee had to held to determine the application, which took place on Friday last week via Zoom.

Mr Bell was joined on the call by his father William, who owns the business, who told the councillors that the cafe had been operating since 2004 and the licence had lapsed due to an “admin problem” between himself and the council.

Mr William Bell added: “It has been run in an orderly fashion, it is a family restaurant and it doesn’t serve alcohol to anyone other than those having a meal.

“It is a respectable restaurant that offers glasses of wine or glasses of beer with a meal.”

The application was for the cafe to sell alcohol on the premises only between 11am and 9pm seven days a week.

Mr William Bell said that had been no complaints from either the police or the council in the 16 years it had been operating.

North Yorkshire Police sent a written objection to the council but did not send a representative to speak at the hearing.

The applicant’s agreed to a number of conditions suggested by the police, including adding another named person to the licence and adding more signs to promote the “Challenge 25” policy.

The committee granted the licence to Jason Bell. In its written decision the councillors noted that they were satisfied Mr Bell would comply with the conditions as “he wants to support the town and continue to operate his premise as a family-friendly restaurant”.

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