Pottsville Tavern again applied for extended hours for the tavern which was approved, despite local opposition, to extend opening hours from 10pm, by an hour, till 11pm Monday to Sunday.
Tweed Shire Council (TSC) Liberal councillor James Owen moved an alternate text, to the staff recommendation for approval, to approve the tavern’s extension of hours. Cr Owens highlighted support from the Pottsville Mens Shed while dismissing the objections by locals as ‘12 pro forma submissions. We know what happens, one person sends them around their friends and they send them in. So there’s probably one person that doesn’t like it or understand it’.
Cr Owens emphasised the fact that the owner of Pottsville Tavern is ‘really genuine with his intention to what he wants to do with this place, and I really respect that. He’s compromised a lot. He’s worked really well with the staff to get to this point.’
Greens councillor Dr Nola Firth them moved an amendment to have the opening hours for Friday and Saturday night extended but to remain at 10pm all other nights of the week as well as looking at the best place for the rubbish bins to be placed so as not to disturb neighbours.
Cr Firth emphasised that this tavern is in a residential area and that, unlike where she lives in Murwillumbah which is in the town centre where more noise is expected, residents are entitled to maintain the amenity of a residential area.
‘I am very aware that the residents there have been fighting since 2003 to keep the hours as they are,’ she told the meeting.
This position was backed up by Mayor Chris Cherry who reminded the other councillors that the tavern has ‘a very long history in the Pottsville community’.
Cr Cherry emphasised the success off and the important role the tavern plays in the community but reminded the meeting that there had been significant local opposition to longer opening hours in the community.
‘The Pottsville Community Association was actually formed when fighting against this tavern when it was originally put into the residential development of Pottsville Waters. It has had a long history of coming [to TSC] applications. There [have been] seven times where the hours have wanted to be extended but have been refused over that time. Back in 2002 there was a request to extend the hours till 11 o’clock, but it was refused based on the impacts on residents, and it wasn’t supported by police at the time.
‘The same thing happened in 2007. In 2010 there was a 12 month trial of the extended hours to midnight of Friday and Saturday. But that trial wasn’t carried out because the office of local office of Liquor and Gaming didn’t extend the licence operating hours. In 2013 there was also another trial, but the application was refused. In 2014 as well. In 2018 there was a trial for 12 months from Wednesday to Saturday till 11 o’clock, but it reverted back to 10 o’clock after the trial.
‘I’m just trying to demonstrate that there’s a very long history of this business, which is a great business, wanting to have the extended hours, but the community kind of pushing back and saying, “No, it’s going to impact on us”. I appreciate that this application is accompanied by a lot of acoustic works that haven’t been accompanied by the previous application. So I understand that there’s certainly been a lot of work that’s been put in to try to make it work this time.
‘I am reminded of the court case that approved it here was also very, very mindful saying, “look, you do need to understand that you are putting a tavern into a residential area, and so you need to understand that there are going to be ongoing restrictions”. So in terms of having live bands and things it’s not, it’s not like a normal pub in a CBD area.’
Cr Cherry then sought permission from Cr Firth to add into the amendment extended hours on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Cr Firth agreed to extended hours on Thursday.
However, this motion was lost with Crs Brinsmead, Owen, Polglase and Byrnes voting against.
Cr Cherry then sought to have Cr Owens add in the option to look at a relocation of the bin site to the DA, which would not stop the DA going ahead, but this was denied.
Eventually, the amendment by Owens was approved with Cr Firth voting against.
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