Gower cafe owner granted alcohol licence despite objections

A cafe owner in Gower said being granted a premises licence was brilliant news and that it wouldn’t be “some sort of drunken party place”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sharon Craig opened Gower Coffee and Crunch, Langrove Health Club, near Swansea Airport a fortnight ago and put her case to serve alcohol to a Swansea Council licensing sub-committee. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillors heard there were three objections, including from a resident opposite the health club who owns the lane leading to it. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

His letter claimed his family and neighbours had encountered threatening behaviour from people who drove too fast on the lane and discarded litter. Alcohol, he said, could exacerbate these issues. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Langrove used to be a country club with a motel. There was live music and alcohol was served. It now comprises 28 one-bedroom bungalows and the health club. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The owner of the site, who leases the health club to an operator, said in his objection letter that he had given up all licences to ensure that peace and quiet were maintained. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cafe customers sitting at an outside area would, he claimed, make a noise and disrupt the lives of residents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mrs Craig said she had spoken to the site owner to clarify the proposed licensing hours and claimed he was satisfied with them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She said speed bumps on the lane prevented any speeding, and that on-site residents had not complained about her licence bid. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“They are quite happy – it’s not the sort of place to go to and get drunk,” she said. “It’s not going to be some sort of drunken party place.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Being able to serve alcohol would, she said, help a small business survive. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillors asked Mrs Craig about the proposed licensing hours, CCTV operation, and when bottling up would be done in the evenings. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

After retiring to consider what they’d heard they granted her a licence to serve alcohol between noon and 8.30pm Monday to Sunday, with bottling up not to take place between 8.30pm and 8am. Notices must also be displayed asking customers to leave quietly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mrs Craig said the health club closed at 5pm on Saturday and Sunday and that she would also close then. She said it was the health club’s intention to extend those hours to 9pm, hence her application for later hours on those days. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Speaking about the award of the licence, she said: “It’s brilliant news for me. We did lunch for 35 families last Sunday. Word of mouth is spreading. It’s really good.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​