Tensions rose during a debate over whether a venue can stay open until the early hours
The Little Gem is based at 126A Greasby Road in Greasby.(Image: Copyright Unknown)
A lawyer slammed a suggestion by Wirral Council legal officers as “preposterous” as tensions rose during a debate over whether a venue can stay open until the early hours.
According to the new Greasby business’ Facebook page, The Little Gem is described as “Greasby’s Hidden Gem” hosting private events, birthdays and celebrations seven days a week. The business opened on April 27 and will be taking bookings from June.
An application for a licence to sell alcohol and stay open until at least midnight came to a Wirral Council licensing panel on May 8. This is because a number of people in the area had complained to the council.
After a number of concessions, representatives for Greasby Road Limited said it would be happy to reduce the hours put forward Sunday through to Thursday but still wanted the late finish to allow flexibility for the odd event during the week. Nicholas Demetrios, the owner of The Little Gem, also manages Nyx and Onyx in Heswall.
Following a Wirral Council decision, the bar was given a licence to play music and sell alcohol until 11.30pm Sunday to Thursday and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays with closing times half an hour later. Conditions were put on the licence including that windows and doors must be closed at all times.
However for the time being, the venue will only be able to stay open until midnight due to a planning restriction that is currently in place.
The committee heard other Heswall venues got around 94% of bookings on Fridays and Saturdays and the Little Gem would be similar with many of the bookings during the week being events like baby showers. The venue will have a terraced smoking area, one bar, and tables with seating up to 40 people and will not be open to the public or passing trade.
Despite the owners saying they wanted a harmonious relationship with their neighbours, there was some opposition from two, one of who said he believed the venue was a non-starter and the licence shouldn’t be granted. The room above the Oak Bar and Bistro has previously been used as a function room.
Councillors heard Mr Demetrios has run the two Heswall venues since 2023 and previously studied a degree in business management for the University of York. Paul Chase, the solicitor on behalf of the applicant said Mr Demetrios had won a young entrepreneurs award describing him as an extremely dynamic business man.
Despite previous issues from when Nyx was known as Paradox under the management of Mr Demetrios’ father, Mr Chase said the venues had been refurbished and operated in a responsible manner. Merseyside Police made no representations or comments about the application with Mr Chase telling the committee: “The sins of the father can’t be visited upon the son.”
Responding to the issues raised, Mr Chase said: “I do not accept that granting this application as modified would potentially change the character of Greasby at night because it would attract people from outside Greasby so they can carry on drinking.” The venue will only be hired out following a vetting process.
The company said there were also further restrictions on anyone booking 18th birthday parties which would need to be signed off by a parent with a requirement they attend the event as an extra layer of security. Despite this, the policy came under scrutiny from councillors and officers.
Cllr James Laing questioned the effectiveness of the policy while the council’s solicitor questioned whether an 18 year old, as they were considered an adult, could sign off on behalf of their friends. This led to a heated discussion between Mr Chase and the council.
Mr Chase criticised the suggestion. He claims they were saying “let’s pluck from the air the most improbable suggestion as a possibility and say what if?” at one point telling the borough solicitor “excuse me I was in the middle of a sentence.”
The bar’s solicitor said it was the same condition which had been approved at the other two venues and called the suggestion, which he described as “Jonny who is 18 will bring 20 of his mates,” was “just preposterous.”
However noise concerns were raised by both George Johnston and Christine Waldron, two neighbours, who worried it would have an impact on their lives with the latter saying she could hear the people’s names when birthday parties had previously been held at the venue. Mr Johnston also raised concerns about how the venue would deal with drugs, incidents of serious violence, and bin management.
Mr Johnson said: “We are going to have more bins outside the place. Where are those bins going to go?” adding: “There’s rats there. There’s mice there so to me something has got to be done about those bins.”
However Mr Chase said the back bin area had nothing to do with their business describing it as an awful mess.
The residents were supported by Greasby Green councillor Gail Jenkinson. Cllr Jenkinson said she supported future employment in Greasby but her main concern was around people leaving the venue later at night and questioned why the bar needed a music licence until midnight during the week.
Responding to the comments over the course of the meeting, Mr Chase said they “are not running a rave, it’s not a night club” when responding to the noise complaints. As for any incidents involving drugs or violence, he said they would call the police as it was required, adding: “The idea that we are going to have gangs of drug dealers in a private venue is a bit bizarre to me.”
He said councillors had to balance things up, adding: “On one hand, you want to see a thriving economy and on the other hand residents do not want to be disturbed.” He said: “I do not think a small private venue is going to create a noise nuisance that will make life unbearable for residents.”
In coming to their decision, Cllr Andrew Hodson, who chaired the panel said he took on board the evidence put forward as well as the concerns raised about possible noise disturbance. The decision was welcomed by the Little Gem.