A popular Irish bar on Broad Street is to embrace street culture this summer after Westside BID commissioned a top barrister to help the venue get a pavement licence.
O’Neill’s in Broad Street had twice been unsuccessful in its applications to Birmingham City Council for a licence to put tables and chairs outside its premises.
The BID therefore turned to barrister Duncan Craig of Citadel Chambers in the city centre to assist O’Neill’s with a further application, and happily this has now been granted.
The council has approved a temporary pavement licence which is valid until 30 September. The granting of the licence coincides with the reopening of O’Neill’s Irish pub and bar on 23 June following refurbishment work which had lasted around three weeks.
Mike Olley, general manager of Westside BID, said: “I was disappointed, both on O’Neill’s behalf and ourselves, that their application for a pavement licence had twice been refused.
“However, the BID will always seek expert assistance to help its members where it can, and I am delighted that their application was successful at the third attempt following the involvement of barristers.
“I am sure that their input was vital in overcoming the previous refusals.”
Mr Craig, head of licensing at Citadel Chambers, said: ”I took a different approach for the third attempt at getting the pavement licence granted.
“I rewrote the application so that whilst O’Neill’s, and the area in general, benefited from some appealing outside seating there was also plenty of space for pedestrians to pass.
“This left nothing in the application to be of concern to Birmingham City Council and O’Neill’s customers are free to sip their drinks outside and enjoy the hot weather!”
The pavement licence was approved subject to various conditions. These include supervision of the outdoor licensed area and monitoring of the footways in Broad Street and Granville Street next to O’Neill’s whenever it is in use.
The licence adds that should the footfall outside O’Neill’s increase to the point where passers-by face having to step into the road or tramway, all street furniture must be removed as soon as possible until the area becomes less congested.
The licence limits operational hours to between 9am and 6pm daily.
