New wine shop approved in student hotspot - with strict ban on Otley Run pub crawlers
A wine shop has been allowed to open in a busy student area of Leeds after promising not to become part of a famous pub crawl.
Specialist wine retailer Once Upon a Vine was granted a licence for its new premises in Headingley Central.
The building is on the route of the Otley Run, which has drawn complaints of rowdy behaviour as thousands of revellers arrive in the suburb at weekends.
The new venue applied to Leeds City Council for a licence to sell bottles of wine and run a table service for customers drinking on the premises.
Once Upon a Vine already said it would play no part in the Otley Run in a poster displayed in the shop window.
Director Laura Kent told a licensing hearing: “We understand the concerns that residents have over litter, noise and anti-social drinking.
“People on the Otley Run aren’t interested in a wine shop.”
A licensing sub-committee was told five letters of support were received for the application, along with two public objections.
Objector Martin Cook said large numbers of pub crawlers turned the centre of Headingley into a “no-go area” at weekends.
He said: “My objection is not to the applicant’s vision for Once Upon a Vine, but to the conversion of yet another retail unit into a licensed premises.
“There are already too many licensed premises in Headingley.”
The hearing at Leeds Civic Hall was told agreements to prevent nuisance behaviour had been reached with the council and West Yorkshire Police.
Councillors granted a licence allowing alcohol sales from 9am-11pm daily.
The applicant agreed to conditions including the use of door staff when needed, no draft beers or ciders and no entry for Otley Runners.