Leeds city centre sports bar Toast to open for extra 30 minutes each day
The extra time will allow for “an orderly close”, the bar said
A city centre sports bar has been allowed changes to its licence including later opening times under an agreement with the council.
Toast Sports Pub And Kitchen applied to Leeds City Council to stay open for an extra 30 minutes each day.
Councillors were told last orders would remain at the same time at the venue at West Point on Wellington Street, but the variation would allow customers adequate drinking up time.
The application faced an objection from a nearby householder who was concerned about noise.
But a licensing sub-committee granted the variation following a short hearing at Leeds Civic Hall.
Bar manager Jacob Georgallis said: “It’s predominantly a pub. We serve food. We have quiz nights, bingo nights.
“Our peak times are when sport is on.”
Toast will open until 1am, Thursday to Sunday and 2am at weekends, with last orders 30 minutes earlier.
An objection letter said people’s bedrooms were directly above the bar. It said: “There will be noise nuisance from the extended hours.
“People talking and shouting. Taxi doors slamming as people leave.”
But the hearing was told no recent complaints had been received by the bar’s management.
A statement given to the sub-committee said the extra half-hour would make it easier to disperse customers.
It said: “Towards closing, we reduce the music volume as part of a cooling down period.
“We also keep the doors shut, except when customers are entering or leaving, to help limit noise outside the premises.
“The additional half-hour requested is intended for drinking up and an orderly close without extending the normal weekly hours for alcohol sales or indoor music.”
The venue operators said some conditions on the existing licence contradicted each other and should be revised.
The trading name would also be changed for the venue, previously known as Toast Bar and Bistro.